The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in cooperation with the Committee for Veterinary and Livestock Development, organized a training session on the diagnosis of zoonotic diseases for the country’s epizootiologists.

The event was held within the framework of the project “Pandemic preparedness and response through a one health approach in Central Asia”.

According to the FAO, the program aims to train over 300 epizootiologists nationwide. To date, more than 250 specialists have acquired practical skills and knowledge in this field.

It is worth noting that enhancing the effectiveness of disease control in the sector holds strategic importance not only from the standpoint of sanitation and food security, but also for the national economy. A reliable epidemiological surveillance system will help attract investment into the livestock sector, increase the export potential of local products, and facilitate entry into new international markets.

Moreover, the implementation of epidemiological monitoring measures and the adoption of advanced technologies will lay the foundation for Uzbekistan to obtain the status of a country free from certain dangerous diseases, in accordance with the criteria of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Such a status will enhance the confidence of trade partners and contribute to the expansion of the country’s foreign economic relations.

Bekhruz Khudoyberdiyev, UzA