Simulation exercise: Foot and mouth disease in the Republic of Korea

Dr Taeyung Kim, Director of General Animal Health Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) of the Republic of Korea, informed the OIE that a field simulation exercise on foot and mouth disease (FMD) in accordance with the contingency plan (Emergency Response Plan – ERP) will take place on 15 May 2013.

The exercise supervised by MAFRA will involve staff from multiple agencies such as the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Provincial Veterinary Authorities, Ministry for National Defense and National Police Agency.

The objectives of this simulation exercise are to:

• evaluate the effectiveness of the current FMD Emergency Response Plan ;
• test and improve the capabilities of MAFRA, local government and support agencies to correctly understand and consistently implement the FMD ERP;
• examine MAFRA’s communications and interagency liaison in the event of FMD outbreak related with a serotype for which vaccination is not practiced against in the Republic of Korea.

MAFRA will conduct a table top simulation exercise and the evaluation meeting on it in the second half of this year.

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