Simulation exercise: African swine fever in the Republic of North Macedonia

Mr Zoran Atanasov, Director of Food and Veterinary Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of  the Republic of  North Macedonia, informed the OIE that a simulation exercise on African swine fever disease (ASF) is taking place in the Republic of North Macedonia in the Municipality of Berovo, from 27 to 28 November 2019. The simulation exercise has been jointly organized by the Food and Veterinary Agency (FVA) and the Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations, within the framework of FAO project on African swine fever emergency preparedness in the Balkans (TCP /RER/3704).

The aim of this simulation exercise is t

• strengthen the capacities of the FVA for ASF;
• support the development of the emergency response preparedness of the country for ASF;
• test the national ASF contingency plan, and
• test the communication and preparedness of the Local disease control centre (LDCC) in implementation of measures to control and eradicate ASF as well as in creation of zones.

The exercise will consist on one hand of drills covering practical skills required during investigation of a suspicion of ASF on commercial farm, back yard farm and in a hunting area, and on the other hand of activities performed by the LDCC and also a desktop exercise covering culling, disposal of animals and cleaning and disinfection. In addition, during the exercise communication between field teams and local disease control centre will be tested as well as zoning and surveillance in case of an outbreak.

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World Animal Health Information and Analysis Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
[email protected]