The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has handed over a fleet of vehicles, motorcycles and veterinary laboratory supplies to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) for onward distribution to the Veterinary Services offices to strengthen disease surveillance and the country’s pandemic preparedness.
The items, which also included information and communications technology (ICT) equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE), were procured under a World Bank-funded Pandemic Fund Project, and implemented by the FAO.
The presentation was the first phase of logistical support to veterinary surveillance and early warning systems under a $16.3 million World Bank Pandemic Fund-financed programme, titled Strengthening Systems for Pandemic Preparedness and Response in Ghana.
A total of 20 four-wheel drive vehicles, 261 motorcycles, 115 laptop computers, 110 tablets, 90 desktop computers, laboratory diagnostic kits, field sampling materials and PPE were presented, while six veterinary laboratories would be rehabilitated across the country.
Distribution
Speaking at a handover ceremony in Accra last Friday, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said the 20 four-wheel drive vehicles would be distributed across the country, with 16 allocated to regional veterinary offices, one for each region, while the remaining four would strengthen operations at the Veterinary Services Directorate headquarters.
He said the 261 motorcycles would be deployed at the district level to improve the mobility of frontline veterinary officers in disease surveillance, outbreak investigations and rapid response to animal disease outbreaks.
Mr Opoku thanked the FAO for its partnership, while acknowledging the support of the World Health Organisation, the World Bank through the Pandemic Fund and other development partners involved in implementing the programme.
He gave assurances that the ministry would ensure that the equipment was properly maintained and used for its intended purpose to deliver tangible benefits to farmers and the country.
Pandemic prevention
The Interim FAO Country Representative to Ghana, Ms Priya Gujadhur, said the programme, jointly implemented by FAO and WHO under the One Health approach, sought to strengthen veterinary services through three key pillars: workforce development, laboratory systems, and early warning and disease surveillance.
She said the country received a grant of more than $16 million under the programme to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
