The FAO-WOAH Global Strategy for the Control and Eradication of PPR (GCES) adopted in Abidjan in April 2015 with the shared goal of ‘PPR eradication by 2030’ serves as the reference document and overarching framework for the PPR roadmap meetings for Central and West Eurasia.
Under the GF-TADs umbrella, 10 countries regularly meet (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), with representatives of regional and international organisations, including WOAH, FAO and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), to exchange their experience on PPR.
Taking into account the favourable epidemiological features of PPR (no long-term carrier, no reservoir known in wildlife or domestic animals) and its similarities with rinderpest, eradicated in 2011, countries assess the capacity of their Veterinary Services to control PPR. Using the PPR Monitoring and Assessment Tool (PMAT) from the GCES, the participants conduct their PPR self-assessment. Since 2016, they adopted the West Eurasia Roadmap to achieve eradication of PPR by 2030 and agreed to engage in the implementation of this PPR regional roadmap for the ECO region, formulated at the end of each meeting.
Recommendations drafted after each meeting guide the countries in their regional dynamic to control PPR.
PPR regional meeting and Blueprint Consultation for ECO countries
See the publication dedicated to the event.
3rd PPR Roadmap meeting for ECO Region
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2nd PPR Roadmap meeting for ECO Region
Progress had been made over the last year. Key achievements include appointment of PPR Points of Contact in the 10 countries, surveillance activities regularly carried out, organization of refresher training of veterinary staff to review clinical recognition of PPR. The disease is still endemic in Turkey and Iran, the latest managing to regularly decrease the cases number since 2015.
However, progresses are still needed to address the remaining challenges, such as having an independent quality control center for animal disease vaccines, improving the understanding of PPR, its distribution and information sharing between countries, in order to harmonise strategies for PPR control and vaccination in the region.
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1st PPR Roadmap meeting for ECO Region
A local investigation the FAO-OIE Crisis Management Centre for Animal Health (CMC-AH) was conducted on a PPR outbreak reported by Georgia early 2016. Through this example, testimony on disease investigation and quick implementation of all management aspects, the participants recognized the need for a clear understanding of the epidemic situation of PPR in their respective countries. A good surveillance system, regular field and laboratory training, diagnostic kits easily available, appropriate funding resources readily accessible, involvement of farmers, but also rapid response to any suspicion and resorting to external expert support (OIE Reference Lab, CMC-AH) were recognised as essential.
The final recommendations of the meeting stressed the need to strengthen PPR control and coordination in the region and, with the support of ECO, to ensure the use of quality vaccines and appropriate post vaccination evaluation.
