Simulation exercise: Red swine disease in Panama

From 7 to 11 March 2022

Dr Concepción Santos Sanjur, Delegate to the OIE and National Director of Animal Health of the Republic of Panama, informed the OIE that a Health Intervention Exercise in response to an outbreak of red swine disease will take place from 7 to 11 March 2022 in the city of Chitré (province of Herrera, Republic of Panama).

The health intervention exercise, organised by the National Directorate of Animal Health (DINASA) has the following objectives:

  1. Assess the decision-making capacity of field veterinarians of the National Animal Health Directorate in emergency and disaster preparedness and response, in accordance with established plans and procedures.
  2. Validate the Emergency Manual for Swine Diseases.
  3. Test the effectiveness of inter-institutional and inter-sectoral coordination in the management of animal health emergencies.
  4. Provide crisis management and information management training to people who play roles in decision-making and implementation of emergency response actions.

Representatives from central and local level will participate in this two-part exercise:

  • Update of knowledge on red swine diseases, mainly African swine fever, and control activities of this disease.
  • Scenario-based simulation exercise and practical training on aspects of diagnosis, sampling, epidemiological investigation, traceability, biosecurity, and containment and eradication procedures for African swine fever.

The exercise will involve the participation of all the associations of swine farmers. This will allow to continue strengthening the public-private partnership, which has led to important achievements in the prevention of swine diseases in the country, such as classical swine fever and African swine fever.

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