Georgia Focuses on Preventing Avian Influenza Outbreak
A year has passed since the first case of avian influenza was reported in Georgia. At that time, the country did not have a national plan of action, or the capacity to properly contain the virus and take prompt action to avert further spread. Since then, Georgia has made major strides in its prevention efforts – thanks to the development of an effective and coordinated approach.
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State veterinarians practicing the proper donning of Personal Protection Equipment
Photo Credit: Sophia Chakvetadze |
Since August 2006, the USAID-supported AgVANTAGE project has worked in close collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Avian Influenza Project Implementation Team, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Service for Food Safety, Veterinary, and Plant Protection, the World Bank, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and commercial poultry farms to strengthen Georgia’s preparedness, response and surveillance efforts.
“We worked together to strengthen Georgia’s capacity for surveillance, as well as early warning and containment identification, since we knew that the more we prepare now, the better able we will be to respond to a highly pathogenic virus,” said Jambul Maghlakelidze, advisor to the Minister of Agriculture on avian influenza issues.
Georgia has developed and tested the National Plan; seven veterinary diagnostic laboratories have been upgraded and provided with personal protective equipment, decontamination equipment, rapid tests, and sampling kits; and 120 professional veterinarians and laboratory staff are prepared to respond to an outbreak of avian influenza.
To raise awareness about avian influenza, risk factors, and how to limit spread of the disease, the project facilitated the creation and distribution of a special biosecurity DVD, a brochure, and an avian influenza manual for veterinarians; and it worked directly with four commercial poultry farms to enhance their technical capacity in ensuring biosecurity.
“Georgia has made significant steps towards advancing preparedness and response efforts to avian influenza,” stated Georgian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Aleko Tsintsadze.
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