Al Zeyoudi inaugurates CAMENET Steering Committee Meeting in Abu Dhabi

Al Zeyoudi: We seek to increase knowledge about camel diseases and ways of prevention

Joint action plan according to best international standards to control camel diseases

Al Zeyoudi: CAMENET maximizes UAE's role in exporting knowledge to the whole world

Abu Dhabi hosts first seminar of its kind in Gulf region

Design regional camel disease surveillance program for member countries

Abu Dhabi: His Excellency Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, has inaugurated, on Sunday, the 3rd CAMENET Steering Committee Meeting and the 2nd Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for Veterinary Laboratories, which it is being hosted by Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) from 7-11 October, at Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa. The event was attended by H.E. Dr. Ghazi Yehia, the OIE Regional Representative for the Middle East, representatives of the OIE, H.E. Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director-General of ADFCA, a number of representatives of CAMENET's Member Countries, and elite of epidemiology, laboratory, and camel husbandry experts. They are meeting to develop a joint action plan according to the best international standards for controlling camel diseases in the Middle East and neighboring countries, to reduce their impact on human health and safety.

In his opening statement to the event, H.E. Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, said:" Camels represent cultural and social heritage in the Arab countries and the Arab Gulf region in particular, and they are a major contributor to the livestock sector in the region and part of its food and economic system. This makes it incumbent upon all of us to work to create an umbrella that gathers elite of experts and specialists from the government and private sectors for the development and preservation of camels' health. This umbrella will represent a scientific reference for researchers and those interested in this field to exchange expertise and enrich knowledge in areas of camel diseases and ways of prevention, particularly in light of the emergence of new diseases affecting ruminants and have not been previously classified as diseases that transmit from animals to humans."

He commended the participating countries' efforts in establishing a specialized network for camels. The network ensures effective coordination among international organizations and national authorities of the member countries in surveillance and control of camel diseases, including emerging diseases, and facilitates collaboration between national, regional and international institutions and reference laboratories and centers for capacity-building and exchange of expertise. It helps develop, standardize and adopt diagnostic methods for major camel diseases according to OIE standards and procedures, and encourages researchers to conduct more studies on diseases, husbandry practices of camels and risks that are common to humans, animals and the environment. The network also maximizes our role in exporting knowledge to the whole world, Dr. Al Zeyoudi said.

"Through this meeting, we look forward to continuing efforts to improve and develop scientific and technological capacities in epidemiology and diagnostic of camel diseases. This will be achieved by developing mechanisms for exchanging information on camel diseases, conducting joint studies, and coordinating the support of international organizations to the relevant national authorities of the member countries in their surveillance and control of camel diseases, including emerging diseases. In addition to facilitating collaboration between the national, regional and international institutions and reference laboratories and centers, the contribution to the development, standardization and adoption of diagnostic methods for major camel diseases according to OIE standards and procedures, as well as promoting researchers to conduct more studies on diseases, husbandry practices of camels, and risk factors that lead to outbreak of diseases that transmit from animals to humans," His Excellency Dr. Al Zeyoudi further stated.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi also congratulated ADFCA for adopting their veterinary laboratory as a reference laboratory. He noted this achievement is an important supplement to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's efforts to achieve biosecurity.

For his side, Dr. Ghazi Yehia said that the OIE is continuing its efforts to qualify laboratory liaison officers to be aware of their responsibilities in the process of setting and implementing the organization standards. He added that the organization has launched an international program for capacity-building for delegates of OIE's Member States and officials of national focal points for veterinary laboratories, to introduce them to functions and responsibilities of laboratories and standardize its procedures in member states regarding the requirements of OIE.

"The seminar, coincides this event, is the first of its kind in the Gulf region. It aims to introduce the region's laboratories to the international standards of OIE. The seminar will cover a series of specialized topics, such as sample transportation, biological risk assessment, quality management systems, the role of national focal points, and other relevant topics," Dr. Yehia noted.

Yehia added that the achievement of the seminar's objectives will enable CAMENET's member countries to conduct disease surveillance, manage, store, transport, test and analyze samples according to international standards. The seminar will lead to developing plans, proposals, joint studies and research, as well as design a regional camel disease surveillance program for each country, to determine the extent of the outbreak of camels' major diseases and conduct epidemiological data analysis using modern technical tools.

CAMENET was established by the regional countries to enhance capacities and cooperation among them in controlling camel diseases, to develop the camel breeding sector. It held a sub-regional meeting on camel diseases on 14-16 February 2016 in Abu Dhabi. With the participation of OIE and FAO, the meeting stressed the importance of the network and recommended the establishment of a sub-regional network on camel diseases (CAMENET).

-Ends-

Additional information:

- CAMENET is a network consisting of 8 camel rearing countries (Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen) dedicated to dromedary camel health and husbandry. It was officially launched during the OIE annual assembly meeting of the regional committee in Paris in May 2016.

- The network is concerned with camel diseases and aims at developing the camel sector in the region. Its establishment is a strategic step for the region's countries to address challenges of the global economic impact of camels.

The event sessions:

Plenary session 1: Welcome note and overview of the OIE

Plenary session 2: Surveillance planning

Plenary session 3: Sample collection and transportation from the field to the laboratory

Plenary session 4: Biological risk analysis from the field to the laboratory

Plenary session 5: Reflecting on what we have learned

Plenary session 6: Conclusion and future plan

TIME			DAY 1: SUNDAY 7 OCT	SPEAKER
PLENARY SESSION 1: WELCOME NOTE AND OVERVIEW OF THE OIE
9:00		Welcome speeches			Officials
9:30		OIE Standard setting process			G. Yehia
9:50		Update on the work of the Biological Standards Commission			M. El Harrak
10:10		CAMENET Present and Future			M. Alhosani
10:30		Group Photo and Coffee Break
11:00		Objectives and format of the workshop Effective surveillance plan and expectations: Planning, sample collection and transportation, testing, data analysis and action			J. Lasley G. Savini
PLENARY SESSION 2: SURVEILLANCE PLANNING
11:15	Epidemiological surveillance and sampling approaches					P. Calistri/De Massis
11:45	Animal brucllosis: epidemiology, diagnosis, control and prevention Main features					P. Calistri/De Massis
12:30	Discussion, challenges and solutions					G. Yehia
1:00	Lunch Break
PLENARY SESSION 3: SAMPLE COLLECTION AND TRANSPORTATION FROM THE FIELD TO THE LABORATORY
2:00	Sample collection, reception, assessment and handling			L. Wright
2:30	Sample collection and shipment challenges: Member Country perspective			Lebanon United Arab Emirates
3:00	Sample reception challenges: OIE Reference Laboratory perspective			L. Wright G. Savini
3:30	Coffee Break
3:45	Mutual transfer agreements: Potential solution to common challenges			M. Finley
4:15	Discussion: Finding solutions to common challenges			G. Pavade
5:00	End of Day 1

© Press Release 2018