As part of its relentless efforts to effectively prevent the outbreak of zoonotic diseases and enhance human capacity in Ondo State, the State Coordination Office of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project has once again trained concerned stakeholders from both private and government agencies on effective disease surveillance and control in the state.
The capacity-building initiative specifically involved Veterinary Epidemiologists, Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DNOs), Para-Vets, and Laboratory Scientists from the state Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Health, and the Primary Health Care Development Agencies, among others.
The training, themed “Effective Disease Surveillance and Control,” was held at the Public Service Training Institute (PSTI) in Ilara-Mokin, within the Ifedore Local Government area of the state.
While declaring the workshop open, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, High Chief Olayato Aribo, expressed gratitude to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the sustainability of the L-PRES Project in the state, which is at the forefront of building human capacities and promoting a One Health approach for the prevention of zoonotic diseases.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Foluke Tunde-Daramola, High Chief Aribo emphasized that the state government has created an enabling environment for food security through palliative distributions, the construction of roads for easier transportation of produce from farms, and the distribution of farm implements to farmers, among other initiatives.
According to him, to strengthen the health sector, the government has made the recruitment and replacement of vacant positions a continuous exercise, adding that the government will continue to provide maximum support to the One Health initiative and the L-PRES Project.
Earlier in his welcome address, the State L-PRES Project Coordinator, Mr. Olufemi Adeogun, stressed that this capacity-building effort was imperative due to the challenges posed by ineffective disease surveillance and outbreak investigations, which have led to significant economic losses in livestock.
He stated that the training aimed to emphasize effective disease surveillance strategies to protect the struggling livestock industry and mitigate diseases that could cause considerable socio-economic damage with serious public health implications at the human-animal interface.
During the technical sessions, the Lead Consultant and Resource Person from the Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses at the University of Ibadan, Professor Babasola Olugasa, underscored the importance of data collection and submission, among other critical topics, and urged participants to consistently utilize the One Health electronic platform for data submission.
He commended the organizers of the workshop for revitalizing the livestock sector in the state, describing it as a practical and timely approach to addressing the JAPA syndrome by providing job opportunities and sustainable business prospects for the people, akin to the cocoa revolution program initiated by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, from which the state significantly benefited.
Both Professor Babasola Olugasa and Dr. Kehinde Adesokan led discussions on various topics, including the principles and importance of disease surveillance; early warning systems; disease patterns; outbreak and threshold setting; epidemic curves and their interpretation; and effective disease surveillance.
Other topics covered included disease prevention, control, elimination, and eradication; biosafety and laboratory detection techniques; trans-boundary animal diseases; various zoonotic diseases and public health priorities; and disease reporting and information sharing across human, animal, and environmental sectors.
One of the participants, Dr. Victor Akinfesoye, Director of Disease Prevention and Immunization at the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, described the workshop as a robust engagement and urged stakeholders to effectively implement the outcomes.
Additionally, Mrs. Florence Abiona, Director of Medical Laboratory Services at the State Hospital Management Board, remarked that the knowledge gained was invaluable and expressed appreciation for the L-PRES Project and the state government for this initiative. Another participant, Dr. Gbenga Ekundayo, called for regular workshops of this nature and emphasized the importance of applying the knowledge acquired.
Augustine Adeoye
Communication/ICT Officer
Ondo L-PRES Project