News

The Third Meeting of experts was held in Moscow on March 16, 2016 with the participation of the representatives from the European Commission, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) supported by the Rosselkhoznadzor.

The results of expert group missions carried out in 2015 to assess ASF epidemic situation and measures taken in the RF, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus were reviewed at the meeting. Deputy Head of the Rosselkhoznadzor Yevgeny Nepoklonov, Advisor to the Head of the Rosselkhoznadzor Vladimir Shevkoplyas also took part in the meeting. The FGBI “ARRIAH” subordinate to the Rosselkhoznadzor was represented by Konstantin Gruzdev, GF-TADs ASF Expert and Alexey Igolkin, Head of the ASF Reference Laboratory.

In their reports the experts described in detail the ASF national control strategies in wild and domestic animals and presented the assessment of their application in the ASF-infected territory. ASF extensive spread in wild boar population in Europe and use of different approaches to the disease control are of especial concern. The report on the results of the mission carried out in the Russian Federation in July 2015 presents the objective assessment of the RF Veterinary Service performance as well as applied measures and tools, i.e. introduction of compartmentalization to pig farms with different biosecurity levels; ASF prevention commission activities on the federal and regional levels; implementation of the wild boar population control program; operation of awareness system for regional veterinary services and public and etc. The experts continued with a roundtable discussion devoted to current risks in ASF infected territories.

Background:

The Standing Group of Experts on African swine fever (ASF) in the Baltic and Eastern Europe region under the GF-TADs umbrella was set-up to analyze the experience and evaluate the measures taken to control the infection. The activities of the Group are aimed at the building-up of a closer cooperation among countries affected by ASF and thereby address the disease in a more collaborative manner across the Baltic and Eastern Europe sub-region.

FGBI “ARRIAH” Press office