SERVICE CONTRACT financed under the 8th European Development Fund - Project Nr 8-ACP-TPS 32

Following the signature of the of its headquarters agreement (Maputo, 28thJuly 2003) between the AU and Ethiopian Government, PANVAC was re-opened in February 2004 with the arrival at duty station of the Chief Technical Advisor (Veterinary Vaccine Specialist and Acting Director) provided by CIRAD-EMVT. Although it was planned that the Technical Assistant (CBPP Vaccine Diagnostic and Vaccine Specialist) to be provided by SATEC/GTZ-IS would commence duty at the same time, it was not until September 2004 that the latter assistant was actually mobilized. The PANVAC work plan was prepared by the Chief Technical Advisor and approved by AU-I BAR/PACE and the EU Delegation in Kenya. An inventory of the assets handed over to PANVAC by the NVI (PANVAC Host Institute) showed that although most of the laboratory equipment seemed to be serviceable, all the office equipment needed to be totally replaced. However, as vaccine quality control testing and biological standardization demands the use of precisely functioning laboratory equipment and instruments, a more detailed examination and testing of the actual functional status of individual pieces of laboratory equipment was carried out. This exercise revealed that some equipment like the freeze dryer, water purification systems, the various pipetters and some freezers were faulty. Where possible attempts were made to revalidate the equipment. Similarly, stock taking of the stores of laboratory materials (especially media and chemicals) showed that all had exceeded their expiry life. Therefore a list of essential office and laboratory equipment, media, chemicals and biological raw materials was compiled and their price quotations obtained from potential overseas suppliers. However, the purchase of these items was not possible because the indicated budgetary support from PACE or AU is yet to be released. This impacted negatively on the ability of PANVAC to implement planned activities. Twelve samples representing a similar number of vaccine batches were submitted to PANVAC for quality control testing on cost recovery basis. The vaccine batch samples were received from the following laboratories: LANAVET, Garoua, Cameroon (3 batches of CBPP and 2 of PPR vaccine), LCV, Bamako, Mali (5 batches of CBPP vaccine) and NVI, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia (2 batches of CBPP vaccine). Test methods were as described in the PANVAC Standard Operating Procedures for such vaccines. Based on conformity with OIE norms and recommendations, all vaccine batches from LANAVET and NVI were certified while three out of five vaccine batches from LCV met the minimum requirements.