India has been chosen by consensus to be the Secretariat for the First SAARC Epidemiology Networking Forum for one year till the next face to face meeting last week in a meeting of the forum in Delhi.
The objective of this first forum meeting was to operationalize a sustainable and functioning veterinary epidemiology network among the eight SAARC Member States.
It was jointly organized by the Division of Livestock Health, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DAHDF), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare), the SAARC Secretariat and FAO through CCS National Institute of Animal Health (CCS NIAH) at NASC Complex, New Delhi.
The Epi Focal point (13) from the 07 member states, except Pakistan, participated in the meeting. The resource persons (11) from the international agencies like FAO, OIE, WHO, RSU-SAARC and SAC participated and facilitated the forum.
During the meeting, experts from various SAARC MSs expressed their commitment to make the forum self sustainable and identified the respective capacities in lab and field epidemiology in each country for mutual sharing and benefits.