During the CIRAD Qualitative Risk mapping & Optimization of national monitoring systems meeting held on 15-19 of July 2019, in Rome at the FAO headquarters, we spoke with one of the course trainers, Dr. Elena Arsevska.

Dr Arsevska spoke with us about the national capacities in qualitative risk assessment and risk mapping for FMD and similar Transboundary Animal Diseases and the improvement strategies for an early detection and control of them.

Dr. Elena Arsevska obtained her Masters degree in 2013 at the University of Montpellier in France, where she specialized in veterinary epidemiology and tropical diseases. She later completed her doctoral thesis at the University of Paris XI, developing both a French Epidemic Intelligence system for animal health and a tool for the web-monitoring of news regarding the detection of disease emergency. She is currently based in Montpellier, where she works for Cirad as Senior Epidemiologist. Elena contributes to the EuFMD program in fifteen countries in Africa, Eastern Europe and Middle East by strengthening existing national capacities for epidemic intelligence, risk assessment, risk mapping and disease surveillance.

During the SAFOSO Technical meeting on evaluation of emergency preparedness for FMD and similar Transboundary Animal Diseases in North Africa, we interviewed Dr Manon Shuppers.
She leads SAFOSO's work on improving national veterinary and food safety systems with a particular focus on strengthening existing national capacities for epidemiology, risk assessment, surveillance and disease control measures.   
Dr Schuppers gave us an overview on the role of evaluation of emergency preparedness capacity for FMD and similar Transboundary Animal Diseases in improving early detection and rapid response.

Keith Sumption, Executive Secretary of the EUFMD

Dr. Joseph Adongo Awuni is a Laboratory expert on FMD in West and Central Africa, and Coordinator of West and Central Africa Veterinary Laboratory Network for Avian Influenza and other trans-boundary diseases. (RESOLAB)

Dr. Awuni spoke with our FMD Risk Management Specialist, Dr. Etienne Chevanne at the recent Workshop for PCP Support Officer(PSOs)in Accra, Ghana. They discussed the role of RESOLAB since its establishment in 2006, with an insight into its future direction.

Dr. Bessong Willington Ojong is a Veterinarian and International Animal Health Livestock Value Chain Expert in Cameroon. Willington was formerly a member of the EuFMD as a short term professional, working across Pillar III which aims to promote Improved uptake of the global strategy for the Progressive control of FMD.

We caught up with Willington in Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy in the margins of the 2018 Open Session of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The theme of the session was based around 'Global Vaccine Security'. He tooks us in-depth into some the common socioeconomic barriers that hinder the supply of effective FMD vaccine.

Dr. Bouda Ahmadi is an FMD Risk Assessment Specialist and an Animal Health Socioeconomics expert. Bouda is working across the EuFMD Pillar II and Pillar III Work Programme, and is contributing to the development of new EuFMD e-learning courses on socio economics and Public-Private partnerships (PPP).

Bouda agreed to talk to us about the sometimes overlooked crucial topic of socioeconomics around Animal Health issues. Bouda touches on some good examples of policy at country level by beneficiaries of the Progressive Control Pathway for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (PCP-FMD).

Professor David Paton is a virologist currently working as an international consultant with a particular focus on foot-and-mouth disease and its control. He provides expert support across EuFMD’s programme, including on training to assist emergency preparedness and contingency planning, and on progressive control of FMD. Previously, David led the World Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease at the Pirbright Institute.

David sat down with us in October 2018 during the Open Session of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease that took place in Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy. David gave us insight to his interpreation on one of the meeting's main themes, "what do we mean by Vaccine Security?".

Animal Health Officer's Dr. Frank Busch & Dr. Kiril Krstevski are experienced Veterinary Officers, whom have been leading a number of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Simulation excercises and 'fact-finding' missions in the Balkan region, as well as in Moldova and Ukraine.

Frank and Kiril sat down with us in April to talk about their missions, what they look for in good emergency preparedness, as well as what they and the countries can learn in the aftermath of each exercise.

Dr. Jorgen Westergaard is a Senior Lecturer in the Agriculture Department, University of Copenhagen. He has extensive experience in field work, research and legislative matters concerning the epidemiology, prevention, control and eradication of infectious diseases.

Jorgen sat down with us in Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy during the 2018 Open Session of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease to walk to us about the evolution of the meaning 'vaccine security' in the field of FMD control.

Maria de la Puente Arévalo is an FMD Risk Manangement Specialist and EuFMD's Pillar I coordinator. Maria sat down with us in Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy during the 2018 Open Session of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The theme of the session was based around 'Global Vaccine Security'.

Maria presented to us an explanation of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Spread Model (EuFMDiS) which is used to evaluate various control options to eradicate the disease. It can also evaluate available resource and vaccine supply issues. The model is an adaptation of the Australian Animal Disease Spread Model (AADIS) developed by Graeme Garner & Richard Bradhurst.