OIE Regional Representations coordinate the first global training course for Focal Points for Wildlife

The Regional Representations of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have successfully organized the first inter-regional training course for Focal Points for Wildlife across five regions and in twelve different time zones.  

The three-day event was attended by over 250 participants from 135 OIE Members and Non-Members, in three different sessions. Overall, 190 National Focal Points for Wildlife and for Animal Diseases Notification attended the training. The sessions were planned to accommodate different time zones and languages:  

• Session 1 in French, mostly for Africa and Western Europe  
• Session 2 in English with Arabic and Spanish translation, mostly for the Americas and Middle East 
• Session 3 in English with Russian translation, mostly for Eastern Europe and Asia and the Pacific  

The auspicious workshop was opened by a statement prepared by the OIE Director General, Dr Monique Eloit. OIE Regional Representatives from the five regions also shared opening remarks, while Sub-regional Representatives gave closing remarks. 

During this workshop, participants worked together on the content of the manual for the next round of training and were updated on the recent OIE developments related to wildlife. 

Key of the topics that were covered during this training were: 

• OIE Wildlife Health Framework ‘Protecting Wildlife Health to Achieve One Health’ (2021) 
• Discussion of the 6th cycle Training Manual for OIE National focal Points for Wildlife, prepared by the OIE Collaboration Centre in (Canada and) the US. 
• Presentation of the new OIE-WAHIS platform (launched in March 2021) and its new functionalities, with a focus on current and future reporting options for wildlife OIE-listed diseases and non-OIE listed diseases, as well as training resources. 

Members shared their experience from regions around the world on “Overcoming challenges in wildlife disease reporting” and “Coordinating wildlife diseases reporting between competent authorities”. 

The event was funded by the European Union, the World Bank-funded REDISSE project, the Japan Trust Fund, not forgetting the European Union-funded EBO-SURSY project and the much-appreciated significant voluntary contribution by the US-based OIE Collaboration Center (at USGS).  

The five Regional Representations of the OIE would like to thank all the speakers, translators and participants that took part in this event and look forward to continue working together on this important topic. 

More information:  

Materials from the training are available online here.