The Tunisian veterinary services have intensified health vigilance and field preparedness measures to monitor the health status of the national livestock. This move comes in light of recent regional epidemiological developments. The General Directorate of Veterinary Services announced that they will continue to enhance early disease detection and preventive interventions. The efforts aim to ensure the health and stability of the national livestock.
On Friday, the General Directorate of Veterinary Services oversaw a working session with its regional services at the regional development delegations. The session focused on enhancing health mobilization and vigilance, coordinating field interventions, and ensuring work continuity and readiness to intervene during the weekend. The meeting emphasized the importance of continued monitoring of the epidemiological situation of diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and other animal diseases.
The session highlighted the need for sustained monitoring of the epidemiological situation of foot-and-mouth disease and other animal diseases, particularly those transmitted by insects. The services will intensify field and laboratory monitoring and enhance coordination and direct communication with a network of private veterinarians. This will ensure rapid reporting of suspected cases and timely intervention.
The veterinary services have called for the preparation of regional action plans based on risk analysis, prioritizing cattle fattening workshops, animal gathering points, and intensifying field visits to markets and monitoring animal movement. They will also provide necessary human and logistical resources to ensure continuous monitoring and intervention.
Recommendations emphasized the need to strengthen bio-security measures within animal breeding facilities, particularly for individuals frequently moving between farms, such as veterinarians, vaccinators, feed and milk transporters, and livestock traders. This includes ensuring the cleaning and disinfection of shoes, clothes, equipment, and vehicles to limit the risk of infection transmission.
The veterinary services also recommended intensifying awareness-raising operations targeting breeders, fatteners, and livestock traders. They urged these stakeholders to avoid introducing or acquiring animals of unknown origin or those not meeting health requirements and to report immediately any suspected cases or unusual symptoms in animals.
The measures are part of the veterinary services' efforts to maintain the stability of the national livestock's health status, enhance field preparedness, and proactive prevention. The goal is to protect the animal wealth and maintain the results achieved within the framework of the national vaccination campaign.
Key points
- The Tunisian veterinary services have intensified health vigilance and field preparedness to monitor the health status of the national livestock amid regional epidemiological developments.
- The services will enhance early disease detection and preventive interventions to ensure the health and stability of the national livestock.
- The efforts aim to protect the animal wealth and maintain the results achieved within the framework of the national vaccination campaign.
