Simulation exercise: Avian influenza, foot and mouth disease and rabies in Azerbaijan

16 and 17 November 2022

Dr Galib Hummat Abdulaliyev, Delegate to WOAH and Head of the Animal Health Department of the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan, informed WOAH that a joint real-scale associative simulation exercise on avian influenza, foot and mouth disease and rabies will take place in Absheron peninsula of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 16 to 17 November, 2022. The overall aim of this exercise is to maintain the response skills of the Veterinary Services and the preparedness of the country in the case of occurrence of FMD, high pathogenic avian influenza and rabies at the same time. The simulation will include table-top and field exercises.

The specific objectives are to:

  • Test the updated Avian Influenza Contingency Plan and train staff on its implementation.
  • Test the FMD Contingency Plan train staff on its implementation.
  • Test the rabies field investigation activities and laboratory examinations of samples taken from the stray dogs and wild animals.
  • Multisectoral operational response arrangements.
  • Examine the liaison and interdependencies between the key operational partners.
  • Consider the impact of the disease as a zoonotic infection.
  • Increasing public awareness of the danger posed by stray dogs and drawing public attention to this area.

A regional and national crisis center and a running dairy and chicken farm will be set up for players to carry out the frontline duties, which include mobilizing staff and resources, setting up different operation areas in the index farm, and following personal biosecurity guidelines when entering and leaving the index farm. The field investigation will be carried out in the forest, water reservoir and the uncontrolled stray dog living areas. Drones will be used, and all GIS information will be managed through the Animal Identification and Registration System.

Conditional outbreak situation will be managed from the Republican Crisis Center. About 60 representatives from the different organizations and 3 mobile field laboratory (biosecurity level – 3) will be attended to the exercise.

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