PAHO Promotes Final Push to Eradicate Foot-and-Mouth Disease
Washington, DC, January 8, 2004 (PAHO)—Animal health experts, cattle growers and other stakeholders in the food production chain will travel from throughout the Americas to Houston, Texas, in early March to coordinate efforts in the final push to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from the continent.
Organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Hemispheric Conference for the Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease will take place March 3 and 4 during the 2004 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The conference will bring together ministers of health and agriculture from throughout the region as well as other representatives of the public and private sectors, international organizations, the scientific community and consumer organizations. PAHO Director Mirta Roses Periago and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman are among those scheduled to address the conference.
Participants will discuss joint efforts to finally rid the continent of one of the most-feared threats to animal health and the meat industry. Among the meeting's chief objectives are:
- Reaffirming institutional and political commitments to adopt a strategic approach to eradicating FMD.
- Determining how stakeholders can participate most effectively in the eradication drive.
- Promoting effective evaluation methods.
Conference organizers emphasize that, for the final push toward eradication to succeed, there must be concerted and coordinated action involving stakeholders in the public and private sectors, both of which will be represented at the conference.
Progress toward the eradication of FMD from the Americas has been substantial in recent years. According to a report to be presented at the conference, there are only a few areas in South America where the disease remains endemic.
PAHO and its Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center (PANAFTOSA), in Brazil, have provided critical leadership in the fight against FMD. PANAFTOSA promotes technological development and transfer, offers professional training, and helps PAHO member countries improve their potential as meat exporters and producers for domestic consumption.
FMD has been one of the most enduring threats to animal health. A debilitating and highly contagious viral disease, it rarely threatens humans but causes fever, malaise and painful sores in cattle, sheep and pigs. Outbreaks of FMD cause major losses in milk and meat production.
In South America, with 290 million head of cattle (about 10 percent of the world's bovine population), limited strategic slaughter combined with vaccination has been the preferred method for controlling outbreaks of the disease.
The surveillance systems currently in place in the region are among the world's most efficient, facilitating the control not only of FMD but also of other animal diseases including tuberculosis, rabies and brucellosis.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) was established in 1902 and is the world's oldest public health organization. PAHO works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of its people. PAHO serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).
PAHO Member States today include all 35 countries in the Americas. France, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are Participating States. Portugal and Spain are Observer States. The U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is an Associate Member.
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