Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Outbreak and Response in 2022
In the 2022 financial year, South Africa experienced a significant Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. In response, SASVEPM organized a webinar titled “The current situation of Foot and Mouth Disease in South Africa: Is the Scourge insurmountable through joint efforts?” which was convened on June 23, 2022, presentation were done by Prof Geoff Fosgate, Dr Livio Heath, Dr Oupa Rikotso, Dr Cameron Kutwana, Dr Chris Mabasa and Dr Grietjie de Klerk.
The webinar brought together key stakeholders to discuss the following critical areas:
· FMD epidemiology and dynamics: Analysis of FMD patterns and trends within South Africa, informed by research outcomes.
· Laboratory services and surveillance: Assessment of the role of laboratories in FMD monitoring and control.
· Government’s role in FMD control: Evaluation of national-level strategies and operational guidance for managing FMD outbreaks.
· Provincial experiences: Sharing of challenges and successes in FMD control from Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal.
Participants included experts from academia, laboratories, government, and affected provinces.
2023 Capacity Building Challenges
Despite EXCO’s identification of regional health issues as a priority for capacity building in the 2023 financial year, including training in SADC countries, these plans were abandoned due to insufficient funding. While EXCO approved webinar topics, financial support was not secured.
However, a pre-congress workshop on outbreak investigation was conducted in Botswana for 30 participants, funded by SASVEPM.