FIGHT AGAINST LINEAGE 1 RINDERPEST VIRUS PROJECT SUDAN

The eradication of rinderpest from Africa is a major objective of the PACE Programme This will be achieved by a series of co-ordinated national PACE programmes that will receive support from the PACE Programme's Epidemiology Unit and other Common Services. In common with the global framework of the PACE Programme, the "Fight against lineage 1 rinderpest virus" project in Sudan has the overall objective of reducing poverty of those involved in livestock farming by improving animal productivity, trade and food security. The project purpose is: 1. Strengthening the capacity at national level to assess the technical and economical aspects of animal diseases and to generate appropriate programmes for their control; 2. Safeguarding of animal health in the country against major epizootics. The specific objectives at national level were reduced to the following two: • The eradication of rinderpest and the control of other epizootics; • The strengthening of surveillance to support policy formulation for the control of major epizootics and better access to global livestock markets. The "Fight against lineage 1 rinderpest virus" project for Sudan has been successfully implemented in two components. The northern sub-project started in February 2003 and the southern sub-project in November 2001. Much has been achieved so far towards the eradication of rinderpest from what is thought to be the last remaining foci of lineage one rinderpest virus. Nevertheless, due to the late start of the programme in Sudan, both subprojects were granted another two years of implementation for Sudan to be recognised by OW as free from rinderpest disease in May 2006, whilst the recognition of freedom from rinderpest infection can be achieved earliest in May 2008, provided that no rinderpest disease or virus will be detected. Building upon the achievements made since the start of the PACE programme, the PACE Sudan project will focus during the extension phase on the following main outputs. These are: RESULT 1: Sudan is recognized by OW as free of rinderpest disease country-wide in May 2006 and is on schedule for recognition of freedom from infection on a country-wide basis in 2008 RESULT 2: The epidemio-surveillance system (ESS) is strengthened RESULT 3: The control of CBPP and other priority diseases is improved throughout the country RESULT 4: Project is managed efficiently