Georgia: National Food Agency discusses risks of measles infection in working meeting

Tbilisi: Within the framework of the project “Assessment of the Risk of Infection of Pets from Wild and Homeless Animals in Georgia“, the recommendations presented by the Scientific-Research Center of the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture were discussed at a meeting held at the National Food Agency.

It was noted that when considering procedures for initiating veterinary risk assessment, the National Food Agency prioritized the risks of measles infection (measles is characterized by acute current and 100% lethality in animals and humans).

“Under the state’s program, the prophylactic vaccination for various infectious diseases, including measles, offered free of charge to state farmers.” It is noteworthy that as a result of the measures taken, the incidence of measles in animals has decreased by 70% compared to 2013, however, eradicating this disease is a challenge for the world and we join the agenda of international organizations,” said Deputy Head of the National Food Agency Vasil Basiladze.

In the discussion mode, the participants discussed the issues of infection and disease prevention, discussed the recommendations developed by the Scientific Research Center Risk Assessment Service, prepared on the basis of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) scientific report (development of COPI monitoring and harmonized schemes in the EU) and, fully on diseases Planning and implementation of joint events with border countries at a regional level.

The version prepared by the Science and Research Center and agreed upon with the parties involved will be submitted for further implementation to the National Food Agency; a list of agencies that will be responsible for implementing the relevant recommendations has been defined.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture,  State Laboratory of Agriculture,  Animal Monitoring Agency,  Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure,  Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), under a global alliance for the control of measles, set goals to reduce the world’s transmission of dog-to-human rabies by 2030. Georgia also joins this challenge; therefore, at this stage, it is important to assess the risk of smallpox from wild and homeless animals and to plan measures against the disease due to existing and expected threats.