The Eastern Regional Minister, Hon. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has officially opened the 3rd Cohort of the National Frontline In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET) ongoing in Koforidua.
The training programme, supported by USAID, the Pandemic Fund Project, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Veterinary Services Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, brings together veterinarians and public health stakeholders from across the country.
In her address, the Regional Minister described the training as a significant investment in Ghana’s food security and the broader African region, noting that transboundary animal diseases and emerging infectious diseases continue to threaten livelihoods, food systems, and global health.
She said the ISAVET initiative introduces a practical applied epidemiology programme for veterinarians in Africa and forms part of long-term national strategies to strengthen frontline disease surveillance and response.
Hon. Rita Awatey highlighted four key objectives of the 3rd cohort: enhancing the capacity of field-level veterinarians across seven domains and 14 competencies; strengthening Ghana’s leadership as the first African country to launch the programme; improving collaboration among government agencies, development partners, and academia; and supporting future regional pilots, including an upcoming expansion in Senegal.
She emphasised that Ghana’s livestock sector plays a vital role in nutrition, income generation, trade, and national development, stating that the Eastern Region’s growing poultry and livestock industries stand to benefit greatly from the improved skills and readiness of frontline veterinarians.
“The knowledge and skills you gain from this programme will not only enhance your professional abilities but also contribute directly to safeguarding food systems, preventing zoonotic diseases, and protecting farmers’ livelihoods,” she told the trainees.
The In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET) programme aimed at strengthening the country’s frontline animal health workforce to improve the detection, investigation and real time respond to emerging and transboundry animal diseases.
The training brings together veterinary professionals and paraprofessionals from all 16 regions of Ghana .
Already, 42 have been trained in the first and second cohorts.
The third cohort has 25 participants along with two participants from The Gambia sponsored by the UK DEFRA.
The four -month training program include four weeks of intensive classroom sessions and three months of supervised fieldwork.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Fenteng Danso, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer ,underscored the need for stronger national capacity to confront Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) and Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs).
“Integrated veterinary workforce strategies are urgently needed to strengthen disease detection and response,” he said. “This training enhances Ghana’s ability to predict, prepare for and recover from threats at the human–animal–environment interface.”
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
