FAO enhances veterinary capacity for clinical diagnosis and animal disease recognition in Iraq
١٤ تشرینی دووەم ٢٠٢٤
14 November 2024 – Erbil, Iraq - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Iraq, in collaboration with Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (MoAWR-KRG), conducted 4 days comprehensive training workshop on "Clinical Diagnosis and Disease Recognition" in Erbil. This workshop, aimed to strengthen Iraq’s animal disease diagnosis, reporting, and surveillance systems.
The workshop is part of the FAO project titled "Strengthening Iraq Veterinary Legislation and Expanding Delivery of Animal Health Services and Disease Surveillance," funded by the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). It featured rigorous training on the clinical diagnosis of priority animal diseases, differential diagnosis, and sample collection.
A total of 17 veterinary staff, including veterinarians from hospital dispensaries, epidemiology, and laboratory specialists, attended from targeted governorates, including Najaf, Sulaymaniyah, Diyala, and Missan.
Dr. Salah ElHajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, underscored the essential role of accurate, timely disease detection as a cornerstone for safeguarding both public and animal health across Iraq. "by equipping veterinary professionals with advanced clinical skills and real-time reporting tools like EMA-i and EMPRES-i+, Iraq can significantly mitigate the devastating effects of disease outbreaks on livestock and food security” Dr. ElHajj Hassan highlighted.
His address reinforced the importance of the One Health approach, connecting animal health with broader public health and environmental outcomes, and emphasized FAO's commitment to empowering Iraq’s veterinary sector to tackle health threats effectively and sustainably.
Throughout the structured four-day agenda, participants engaged in practical, hands-on sessions covering essential diseases such as Blue Tongue, Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Anthrax, and PPR (Peste des Petits Ruminants). Sessions on Lumpy Skin Disease, Avian Influenza, and FMD (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) highlighted critical clinical symptoms and identification techniques. Led by the FAO national team and experts from veterinary colleges across Iraq, the training emphasized biosafety, biosecurity practices, and collaboration across government and syndicate organizations to ensure effective disease surveillance and response in Iraq.
This training strengthens Iraq’s ability to detect and respond to animal diseases that impact livestock and public health. The shared knowledge equips Iraq’s veterinary workforce to handle disease outbreaks effectively, promoting food security and supporting the One Health approach.
Mohamed Ali Moussa
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