Simulation exercise: Classical swine fever and African swine fever in Colombia

29 November to 2 December 2021

Dr Deyanira Barrero, Delegate to the OIE and Director General of the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), informed the OIE that a simulation exercise entitled “Simulation of the intervention of the emergency response team for the emergence of a swine disease on the national territory” will take place from 29 November to 2 December 2021. The exercise will include the following steps:

1) Monitoring and early warning.

2) Response capacity of the emergency health system in Colombia.

3) Implementation of emergency measures when outbreaks of swine diseases under official control are confirmed in Colombia.

The exercise will have national reach with the aim of validating the structure of the veterinary services for the management of an emergency due to classical swine fever or African swine fever, including the roles and responsibilities of the services at each level, as well as validating the actions to take on the field in the framework of defined procedures and protocols, by defining and listing the resources needed for their execution.

In addition, the response capacity of the veterinary Epidemiological Monitoring System of Colombia will be tested through a notification in a local office of the official veterinary services, followed by the implementation of the required actions.

The exercise will include the participation of the Pork Farmers’ Association Porkcolombia, which will allow for the continued strengthening of the existing public-private partnership in Colombia. The partnership has brought about important achievements in the control and eradication of swine diseases such as classical swine fever in different geographical zones of the Colombian territory.

This exercise forms part of the activities established in the Program for the Eradication of Classical Swine Fever and the Strategy for the Prevention of African Swine Fever in Colombia, the objectives of which are to guarantee a high level of awareness, preparedness, and a capacity to rapidly respond to these diseases and to ensure that the national emergency plans are functional.

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