Simulation exercise: High pathogenicity avian influenza in Argentina

29 August to 2 September 2022

Dr Ximena Melón, Delegate to WOAH and National Animal Health Director of SENASA, informed WOAH that the National Health and Food Quality Service (SENASA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, will organise a full-scale simulation exercise on high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) for the Veterinary Service. The exercise will be of national scope, will include regional participants, and will take place from 29 August to 2 September 2022 in face-to-face format in the city of Esperanza, Santa Fe province (Argentina).

The activity serves as an instrument to respond to current training needs for officials and other actors within the poultry value chain, with the purpose of strengthening preparedness against poultry welfare and health risks, but also veterinary public health.

The main objective of the exercise is to test the capacity of the Veterinary Service to respond to an avian influenza outbreak simulation, allowing for relevant tasks and procedures to be practised.

The specific objectives are:

  • Evaluate and improve the response capacity of the Veterinary Service, putting into practice the functions and procedures preestablished by current norms.
  • Review and consolidate the actions to be implemented when a notifiable disease is notified in Argentina and evaluate the emergency notification process to WOAH following the confirmation of the outbreak.
  • Test and evaluate risk assessment in the light of emergency situations, by providing specific guidance and information on health topics linked to avian influenza.
  • Contribute to the improvement and maintaining of a strong collective performance and a good level of professional, technical and individual efficacy and efficiency.
  • Satisfy with greater ease the future requirements of the official Veterinary Service in matters of professionals, technicians and para-technicians, by managing the human resources needed to respond to a high pathogenicity avian influenza outbreak. Provide guidance on resource and equipment management, and on the dynamics among the different official areas involved and among the different actors of the national poultry sector.

The exercise targets personnel belonging to the official Veterinary Service (SENASA) and other national bodies, private sector actors, as well as representatives of the Veterinary Services of Member Countries of the Permanent Veterinary Committee (CVP) of the Southern Cone.

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