Follow-up Reporting on the Evaluation of Capacity Building for Surveillance and Prevention of BSE and other Zoonotic Diseases Project (GCP/INT/864/SWI) Follow-up Reporting 1. A follow-up report must be prepared on implementation of agreed recommendations by the unit responsible for the original management response and will take place one year after finalisation of the Management Response. For evaluation reports provided to the Programme Committee the follow-up response will be submitted to the PC after two years. The follow-up report should follow the format below and may be supplemented with additional text as required. The purpose of this follow-up report is to ensure compliance with agreed recommendations and, if necessary, account for any variation between actions decided in the management response and those actually implemented. The Evaluation Service has put in-place a monitoring system for this. Format for Reporting on Follow-up Action Recommendations Action Agreed Action Taken? Comment/explanation Recommendation 1 FAO Egypt will be asked to Recommendation 1:In-country training is critical reemphasize to the Govt. of to the success of a sustainable programme and Egypt the importance of incountry training and to request should continue to be supported by the governments. It should receive special emphasis detailed information on future in Egypt. action. Recommendation 2 etc. Recommendation 2:SAFOSO should continue to provide support and advice for this in-country training. Recommendation 3: The Viet Nam project design and content differ significantly from the initial project design; the project would benefit from reviewing the project backstopping arrangements (especially widening the technical Task Force in Rome) and careful planning as well as monitoring of progress made. Institutional Arrangements: SAFOSO will be asked on their availability to continue provide support and advise and the Govt. of Egypt will be informed consequentially. The technical Task Force in Rome will be reviewed and expanded as required. Mr Speedy, ex lead technical officer and currently FAOR Viet Nam, will be a virtual member of the Task Force During a joint FAO/SAFOSO mission to Egypt for sharing the evaluation report with the authorities the importance of in-country training was raised and discussed Further training provided by SAFOSO has been planned, however its implementation has been delayed until ruary 2009 The Task Force in Rome was not expanded 1
Recommendation 1: The National Project Board is an important component of the project setup: to provide guidance and oversight, and also as a transmitter of information about the project. The CVOs, NPC and SAFOSO should evaluate if there is a need for the continued existence of the National Project Board (to help promote sustainability of project results) or whether the NPB tasks could be taken up by some other existing body. Technical and Operational Backstopping The evaluation of the NPB and whether or not they have a future role will be followed-up at country level. The National Project boards have not been active to follow up in country activities Recommendation 1: SAFOSO should continue to monitor and support the in-country training programmes of the project in the participating countries. Project Management: Recommendation 1: Project managers in Egypt should seek to move BSE control and prevention higher up on the government agenda. The NPCs and management of the Veterinary Services in Egypt and Serbia should develop plans (in consultation with the Project Steering Committees) for continuing activities after project termination. SAFOSO will be asked to prepare a schedule for continuing to monitor and support in-country training programmes. Participating governments and FAORs will be informed accordingly. This recommendation will be passed on the Governments of Egypt and Serbia and followed up. ongoing SAFOSO has provided further training activities especially in Vietnam and has kept FAO informed. The evaluation reports have been shared with the government but partly due to the decrease of the interest in BSE and the appearance of avian influenza especially in Egypt, it is very difficult to move BSE control up on the government agenda. Serbia has implemented a BSE control program including testing of feed samples, control of imported feed and BSE surveillance. Government Support: In Egypt, the existing for laboratory supplies (such as diagnostic kits) as well as equipment needs to be increased; in the medium term, also the question of specific legislation as well as the creation of a comprehensive compensation system for farmers needs to be tackled. Attempts should also be made to change practices in the Egyptian meat industry; this could be initiated as small pilot projects. A concept note to promote good practices in the Egyptian meat sector supported by pilot projects will be prepared and submitted to donors. Ongoing Discussions have taken place in Egypt but this has not resulted in a concept note. IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE 3: PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING OF TRAINERS IN ASPECTS OF BSE SURVEILLANCE AND 2
PREVENTION - Serbia and Egypt: Recommendation 1: A mechanism to continue to promote interaction between the in-country trainees and SAFOSO should be stressed as it will help promote the quality and sustainability of the training. Recommendation 2: In a potential follow-up project, or perhaps in the Viet Nam sub-project, every effort should be made to select the appropriate people for the training-of-trainers. The relevant technical agencies (Veterinary Services, Food Safety agencies, trade departments) as well as industry representative should be involved in this process. Consideration should be given to providing training that focuses on specific areas for different groups. Provide in-country training of government and private sector personnel Serbia: 1. Diagnostic techniques (Serbia): Recommendation 1: The working relationship with the OIE Reference Laboratory should be continued and any samples that give questionable results on the rapid test or immuno-histochemistry, or any positive samples should be submitted to them for confirmation. Recommendation 2: Present BSL-2 plus facilities in the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine are satisfactory for performing the BSE testing. The biosafety practices that have been initiated should continue to be practiced. Recommendation 3: The planned active BSE surveillance programme should be expanded as soon as possible and a portion of the present BSL-2 facility in the Scientific Veterinary Institute should be set aside for this testing. The rapid BSE testing equipment and reagents should be purchased and the testing should be initiated in these facilities. The planned BSL-3 facilities should be completed as soon as possible. Recommendation 4: The Scientific Veterinary Institute and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine should work together to insure repeatability and Mechanisms to continue the interaction with SAFOSO and incountry trainees will be explored and the Governments of Egypt and Serbia. A mechanism to improve selection and targeting of trainees will be developed and implemented in Viet Nam. be be be The Scientific Veterinary Institute and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine will be Training has been conducted in Egypt and Serbia. Project activities have been closed in Serbia and training is being finalised in Egypt. Very successful training has been conducted in Vietnam with followup activities especially in the field of risk assessment. Participants are always encouraged to stay in contact if they have any questions. Trainees have been carefully selected to participate in the training conducted within the project based on participant profiles established by SAFOSO. 3
quality assurance are being maintained. This would include exchange of samples between the two laboratories. Both laboratories should send any questionable samples to the Swiss OIE Reference Laboratory. Recommendation 5: The laboratories should enhance their internal and external quality assurance programmes and work toward ISO 17025 certification. 2.Epidemiology and Risk Assessment; Surveillance and Prevention of BSE (Serbia): Recommendation 1: The passive surveillance programme should continue and the active surveillance programme should be expanded. Recommendation 2: Animal identification me should continue to be put in place and it should be monitored and enforced. Recommendation 3: Import restrictions should be maintained and enforced but should be adjusted to not exceed OIE and WTO Standards. Recommendation 4: Serbia should work toward joining WTO. Recommendation 5: Providing additional updated training to one individual should be considered. Recommendation 6: A detailed contingency plan should be developed by the animal health officials on how the report of a positive sample would be made, the action that would be taken and what could be done to alleviate consumer fears. 3. Feed quality and testing (Serbia): The laboratories will be advised accordingly. be be be be be The sustainable impact of providing training to a single person is questionable. The feed quality and testing programme should be supported and expanded. 4. Meat industry and risk management (Serbia): As recommended a small pilot 4
Recommendation 1: Emphasis on developing a sustainable effective programme should continue. Recommendation 2: Legislation should be enforced and compliance monitored. Recommendation 3 : The skills learned could be applied to other diseases. Recommendation 4 : Legislation should be reviewed and, if appropriate, additional legislation added. Provide in-country training of government and private sector personnel Egypt: 1. Diagnostic techniques (Egypt): Recommendation 1: An attempt should be made to find funding for increased immunochemistry testing. Recommendation 2: Planning should be initiated to establish rapid testing capability. A BSL-2 plus portion of the laboratory should be set aside and plans and funding to purchase the equipment and reagents needed should be initiated. As stated previously, this should provide adequate biosafety for this testing. Recommendation 3: The working relationship with the OIE Reference Laboratory should be continued and any samples that give questionable results on histopathology, immunohistochemistry or any positive samples should be submitted for confirmation. Recommendation 4: Other samples, to insure testing quality, should be exchanged with the Reference Laboratory. Recommendation 5: Laboratory should work toward ISO 17025 certification. Recommendation 6: Determination should be made if a shorter fixation time can be used. As mentioned previously, plans for use of a rapid test should be initiated. be be be The Govt. of Serbia will be advised to do so. A small project that addresses this topic will be prepared and submitted to donors attention. suitability to be assessed Funding for immunohistochemistry was not assessed to be a main priority given the current circumstances. FAO can not endorse working on private standards 5
2. Epidemiology and Risk Assessment (Egypt): Recommendation 1: The passive surveillance should be expanded and plans for an active surveillance programme should be initiated. Funding should be made available to reimburse the owners of BSE suspect animals. Since SRM is being marketed for human consumption, a method to reimburse the butchers for the SRM tested should be put in place. Recommendation 2: Import restrictions, to prevent the introduction of BSE, should be reviewed to insure that they meet OIE and WTO Standards and that those that are in place are being enforced. Recommendation 3: Providing additional updated training to one more individual should be considered. The sustainable impact of training a single person is questionable. Recommendation 4: The identification programme should be monitored and enforced; additional legislation should be passed if necessary. Recommendation 5: A detailed contingency plan should be developed by the Veterinary Services on how the report of a positive sample would be made, the action that would be taken and what could be done to alleviate consumer fears. A special effort should be made to develop a plan to address the concerns of tourists. Recommendation 6: Feed quality and testing programme should be supported and continued. Recommendation 7:Meat industry: an effort should be made to make changes in this industry to address the risk areas such as control of the sale of SRMs, establishing rendering facilities, insuring the slaughter plants have working incinerators and should install refrigeration facilities to hold carcasses, etc. A small The veterinary services will be A small A small project project project 6
1.1.1 Immediate Objective 5: Promote public awareness of BSE within the country Serbia and Egypt Recommendation 1: he public awareness aspect of the project should continue in order to increase awareness by consumers, producers and politicians (decision makers); especially in Egypt BSE does not seem to rank high on the political agenda. Recommendation 2: Public awareness must be raised very carefully in order not to create panic. Recommendation 3: Animal health officials should be given an opportunity to study successful PR campaigns and techniques used in other countries. Recommendation 4: Detailed public relations contingency plans should be developed to address different scenarios, including the finding of BSE infected cattle. These contingency plans should include addressing the public and political concerns as well as technical and logistical aspects. In Egypt the contingency plan should address the potential profound affect on tourism. Recommendation 5: Increased awareness and development of good practices in feed industry including rendering facilities and feed mills. Recommendation 6: Concentrate on including the many small slaughterhouses, which one of the evaluations stated was out of control. Immediate Objective 6: Support completion of a comprehensive risk assessment meeting OIE standards 1.1.2 Serbia advised accordingly and if any project activity will continue this aspect will be addressed. advised accordingly and if any project activity will continue this aspect will be addressed. The Govt. of Egypt will be A small The Govt. of Egypt will be A small project project Recommendation 1: Efforts should be made to obtain the remaining data or to complete the assessment with data available so that the risk assessment can be completed as scheduled. be asked to provide the remaining data and advised to complete the assessment. The risk assessment was completed in September 2007. 7
Egypt: Recommendation 1:efforts should be made to obtain the needed data in order to complete the assessment as scheduled. Cost-Effectiveness: asked to provide the remaining data and advised to complete the assessment. Discussions about the risk assessment were continued. Ultimately, no risk assessment was conducted. Recommendation 1: The trainers have had indepth training on BSE, as well as techniques that are applicable too other diseases. This expertise should continue to be utilized help develop sustainable programmes for other disease in both countries, if possible with support from the project and/or SAFOSO. Recommendation 2: As the pool of trained trainers is small, consideration should be given to training additional people in key areas such as risk assessment in case some trained people will transfer to other positions and no longer be available. Otherwise, the absence of trained people may lead to insufficient expertise available for running the programme. Sustainability Participating governments will be Information on these experts will be retained by FAO for possible future activities. The Governments will be advised to continue the training of trainers. The topic was raised during missions in ruary and to Serbia and Egypt, respectively. The topic was raised during missions in ruary and to Serbia and Egypt, respectively. Serbia Recommendation 1: The testing facility at Veterinary Institute should be put in place as soon as possible Egypt The Veterinary Institute will be The topic was raised during a SAFOSO mission. Recommendation 1: The emphasis on training and development of new techniques for BSE and other diseases should continue. Recommendation 2: The effort to put the BSE techniques learned in place should continue to be emphasized. The Government will be advised accordingly A small project that addresses this topic will be prepared and submitted to donors attention. A workshop on RVF surveillance was planned, but has not been conducted to date. A workshop on risk assessment, including risk assessment for RVF, was conducted in ruary 2009. The topic was raised during a FAO/SAFOSO mission. 8
Recommendation 3: An effort should continue to find increased funding from the Egyptian government and donors to support the programme. BSE related issues have a very low priority in the Egyptian veterinary services, due to large other animal health problems (AI, FMD, LSD, RVF). Recommendation 4: Rapid test procedures should be initiated. Recommendation 5: An effort should continue to put in place any additional legislation needed to make the programme effective. Recommendation 6: Every effort should be made to change the slaughter procedures to be prepared if there is a positive case. The Govt. of Egypt will be A small The Govt. of Egypt will be A small The topic was raised during a FAO/SAFOSO mission. The topic was raised during a FAO/SAFOSO mission. project The topic was raised during a FAO/SAFOSO mission. project Annex 1: Actions in Evaluation Management Responses and Follow-up reporting to the Programme Committee 1. After consultation with the Department Head most concerned or ODG Director, the Deputy Director- General (DDG Chair of the Evaluation Committee) will designate the senior official who will have overall responsibility for preparing the management response and coordinating implementation of the recommendations. The memorandum of designation will also indicate the units to be consulted on the response. 2. Final report (or an advanced draft) of the evaluation sent to the senior official responsible for the management response. 3. Draft management response provided by the responsible officer to the DDG with a copy to the Chief of the Evaluation Service, drawing attention to any aspects of the response which are controversial. Responsibility DDG Evaluation Service Designated senior official 4. Consideration of the response by the Evaluation Committee. Evaluation Service 5. The Evaluation Service will provide secretariat support, and PBED, as the responsible office for the Evaluation Programme Committee, will monitor the production of the management response. Service/PBED See DDG memorandum 5 July 2007: New procedures to strengthen corporate management responses to the Programme Committee on Evaluation Reports. Deadline weeks before PC 18 weeks 15 weeks 12 weeks 11 weeks Throughout 9