Dealing with animal disease emergencies in Africa: prevention and preparedness

Emergency preparedness planning for animal diseases is a relatively new con cept that is only now being applied in Africa. information can be drawn fro m numerous recent disease epidemics involving rinderpest, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Rift Valley fever. These examples clearly demon strate the shortcomings and value of effective early warning with ensured e arly reaction in the control of transboundary animal disease events. In con cert, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), through the Emergency Pr evention System far Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPR ES), and Organisation of African Unity/inter-African Bureau for Animal Reso urces (OAU/IBAR), through the European Commission-funded Pan-African Rinder pest Campaign (PARC), have been actively promoting the concepts and applica tion of emergency preparedness planning and should continue to do so under the proposed successor of PARC, namely: the Pan-African Programme for the C ontrol of Epizootics (PACE). The potential partnership between the normativ e function of the FAO in developing and promoting emergency preparedness an d the implementation of improved national and regional disease surveillance by PACE and other partners could witness the commencement of more progress ive control of epidemic diseases in Africa and greater self-reliance by Afr ican countries in coping with transboundary animal disease emergencies.