Newsletter Veterinary Public Health of the Pan American Health Organization
Rio de Janeiro, August -October/2008 Volume 2 - Number 5
Presentation Dear Readers, The 15th Inter-American Meeting, at the Ministerial Level, on Health and Agriculture (RIMSA), which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 11-12 June 2008, presented important progress for action in the area of VPH. In this issue of VPH News we cover the main events of the meeting. The RIMSA meetings have been a forum of great regional importance for the convergence of the health and agriculture sectors of Member States of PAHO. In this edition we present various joint publications. One is the “Guide to Rodents of Brazil with keys for genera based on external characteristics” (Guia dos Roedores do Brasil, com chaves para gêneros baseadas em caracteres externos), and also the publication “Vision of the Future of Veterinary Medicine”, on the new teaching trends in the area. Also in this issue weA are presenting first photos of andSulManagement SanitarydaEmergencies, COSALFA reuniuthe representantes de the onzeCenter paísesfor daTraining América do para discutir aofsituação febre aftosa which is the new PANAFTOSA building to be inaugurated this month. Enjoy your reading! VPH News
Special News RIMSA 15 - RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
Rio Hosts International Meeting on Health and Agriculture Special News On 11-12 June, Rio de Janeiro welcomed representatives of 35 countries of the Americas at the 15th Inter-American Meeting, at the Ministerial Level, on Health and Agriculture (RIMSA 15). The event was organized by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/ WHO) in association with the Inter-American Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture (IICA) and with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply and the Ministry of Health of Brazil. The meeting took place at the Intercontinental Hotel in São Conrado, and discussions were held on strategies to implement public policies to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The following meetings were also held: 11th Meeting of the Hemispheric Committee for Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (COHEFA 11) and the 5th Meeting of the Pan American Commission for Innocuousness of Food (COPAIA 5).
MAURÍCIO DE SOUZA - During the first day of the meeting, RIMSA welcomed the cartoonist Maurício de Souza. De Souza illustrates educational magazines produced by PANAFTOSA -PAHO/WHO, and he autographed issues of the magazines at the PAHO stand. Many people made the most of the occasion to take photos with the creator of “Monica’s gang” which amuses all generations and now is a vehicle for information in an easy and open manner on foot-and-mouth disease, rabies, animal care and healthy food.
Dr. Mirta Roses, Director of PAHO/WHO, led the table on discussions during the meeting of ministers
DECLARATION OF RIO - The 15th RIMSA Belotto, director of PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO, issued the Declaration of Rio de Janeiro as the result of discussions between the ministers of health and agriculture, confirming their joint commitment to apply efforts toward the development of the health and agriculture sectors of the Americas. The meeting, with the participation of Minister Reinhold Stephanes representing President Lula, Dr. Mirta Roses, director of PAHO, and Dr. Albino
held discussion panels on such topics as climatic change, environment and their effects on the continent. ACCOMPLISHED GOALS - After a marathon of meetings, the director of PANAFTOSAPAHO/WHO confirmed that the goals of the meeeting were met and that RIMSA 15 was an opportunity to discuss the search for equity in the continent.
VPH NEWS- 1
Especial Special - RIMSA 15 use in Brazil show low productivity, and in 50 million the areas are degraded and abandoned.
RIMSA
Outstanding Items
It is highlighted the gathering of efforts for the awareness of the population on climatic modifications and the creation of alliances between the public and private sectors, in order to obtain resources and support to prevent and adapt the effects on health and agriculture. Thus, national strategies can be prepared, adapting them to different regions, with special attention in Haiti. The awareness of the population in the continent about these modifications, the occurrence of zoonoses, the investment in eco-tourism and the scale of opportunities in the international trade are also pointed out as ways for a possible sustainable development, when social contrasts can be identified and reduced, thus fulfilling the basic needs of population in rural and urban areas. In order to promote access to more healthy food and to the welfare of the population of the continent, the 5th Meeting of the Pan American Commission on Innocuousness of Food (COPAIA 5) pointed out the substitution in the industrial use of trans fats in the manufacturing process and the innocuousness of foodstuffs.
INADEQUATE INCOME DISTRIBUTION - In the panel Facing New Challenges: Climatic Modification, Food Safety and Economic Growth, José Graziano da Silva, regional representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the region has a significant productive capacity but does not have an adequate income distribution to feed its population. He complemented his statement with data on poverty and malnutrition rural regions referring showing that: although the hunger situation is better, the result is still unsatisfactory. Regions by such as Latin America and the Caribbean reduced by 3% - about 7 million people, the number of undernouri-shed, from 13% to 10% in 15 years (1990-2004). It is expected that by 2015 the percentage will drop to 6.7%. CRISIS OF FOOD - At the end of the debates of the last day, Minister Reinhold Stephanes spoke about the food crisis and said that Brazil is conscious of its role in this situation and can collaborate to solve the crisis. With reference to livestock production, the minister said that the government intends to establish a program to promote better use of pastures. “The idea is to improve efficiency, to recover the degraded region and to work toward socially and environmentally correct production”. According to Stephanes, 50 million of the 200 million hectares in use in Brazil 2 - VPH NEWS
ZOONOSES - The topic of zoonoses was also included at the closing of RIMSA and Minister of Health, José Gomes Temporão, highlighted the importance of partnership with Agriculture in the reporting and rapid response to events, such as the Centers Rapid ResCOPAIA 5 ponse already functioning in nine states of Brazil. According to Minister Temporão, the goal is to establish the system throughout the country by 2011, in accordance with the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization (WHO). FOOT-AND-MOUTH-DISEASE (COHEFA 11) The Hemispheric Committee for Eradication of Footand-Mouth Disease (COHEFA 11) met on 9 June to discuss foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) eradication programs in the American continent. COHEFA is looking for assurance of the political will of the countries and private sectors of the Region. It is coordinating Maurício de Souza, cartoonist and evaluating actions of the Hemispheric Plan for Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (PHEFA) and the Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center (PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO) acts as technical secretariat. The Plan of Action of PHEFA made significant progress in FMD eradication and created a model of specific sanitary action for the situation of the South American continent. The goal established for 2009 has been suspended for revision. Resolutions of stand of paho/who during autographs COHEFA were presented during working panels of RIMSA 15.
ANIMAL DISEASES - The General Director of the World Animal Health Organization, Bernard Vallat, noted that the fight against animal diseases is directly linked with food safety and to the socioeconomic impacts that diseases, such as FMD, have on the production and trade chain. According to him, “with these impacts, animal production and food safety would be affected and there would be an increase COHEFA 11 in poverty, as right now a billion farmers survive on production. Furthermore, countries would lose trade opportunities and investments, which would impact the population and affect governments”.
Dr. Albino Belotto, Dra. Mirta Roses and Reinhold Stephanes, Minister of Agriculture of Brazil.
Special News In the guidelines, TFAs is restricted to 2% in oils and margarines and to a maximum of 5% of the total fat in processed foods, and consumers would be informed through labels with nutritional data about these quantities. Restaurants would be play an important role together with public food services by informing the public on the trans fat content in their food.
RIMSA
DIAGNOSIS IN SIX MONTHS - The Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center – PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO, what Commitee acts as technical secretariat – took action to prepare a diagnosis of the FMD status in the countries within a maximum of six months. The result will be obtained through technical missions to areas considered critical. The visits will be coordinated with the governments of the countries together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the InterAmerican Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture (IICA), World Animal Health Organization (OIE) with the support of other organizations and institutions of technical and financial cooperation. Brazil has advanced in the disease eradication; the National Program for Eradication and Prevention of FMD, PNEFA, is established in all the states (except Santa Catarina), and according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), nearly 350 million doses of vaccine are applied during campaigns every six months. OIE has recognized the state of Santa Catarina as FMD-free without vaccination. According OIE data, 74.4% of the South American region is FMD-free with vaccination; 3.1% is disease-free without vaccination; 3.9% is with suspended status and 18.6% is classified as not free from FMD. After the technical missions are carried out, an extraordinary meeting of the Committee is expected to be held in one of the countries visited, for the establishment of agreements and commitments to strengthen actions of the Hemispheric Plan.
HEALTHY FOOD - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) convoked another meeting, “The Americas free of Trans Fats”, with discussions on Trans Acids Fatty, better known as trans fats, which increase the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and are also responsible for modifications in blood metabolism, vascular inflammations and the development of cardiovascular diseases. Trans fats are found in products containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, especially in food industry products.
COPAIA Cocktail
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Surveillance Manager in Health, Prevention and Control of Diseases of PAHO, mentioned a study showing that each recorded case of food contamination costs one thousand Canadian dollars and 75% of this cost is due to absent working days. And today, with globalization, food contamination is no longer local but can affect various countries. Events of great social impact was remembered to the director of foodstuffs of the National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance (ANVISA, in Portuguese), Maria Cecília Brito, Ministers of Agriculture and Health of Brazil and Carlos Basco, IICA Represen- that stated: ‘It is not enough to control the production process. It is necessary to pay attention to primary production”. tative She noted an occurrence during 2007 with “açai” (fruit from a palm tree of the Amazon) contaminated by the agent that causes Chagas disease. With reference to action on food safety events, one of the recommendations of COPAIA considered the development of regulations and other guidelines based on risk analysis to ensure food safety from production to consumption, desGIEFA Meeting ignating competent authorities and suggesting independent organisms to work on drawing up norms and standards at the level of the Codex Alimentarius. In the case of contamination alerts, as mentioned by Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, the recommendation suggests the establishment of programs for food monitoring and tracking and alert systems in the food industry for quick identification of events to be reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), in RIMSA Cocktail accordance with health regulations.
PAHO/AAVMC Meeting
The meeting was held on Sunday, 8 June, also at the Intercontinental Hotel, with the participation of Public Health authorities, representatives of food industries and oil producers. Guidelines were established to stimulate the reduction of TFAs and their substitution with polyunsaturated fats.
Meeting of Miinisters
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Presentation of Publications VISION OF THE FUTURE OF VETERINARY MEDICAL EDUCATION- This new publication was presented during the joint meeting PAHO/AAVMC (Association of American Universities of Veterinary Medicine) for consultation with schools of veterinary medicine, in June, with the participation of representatives of various academic institutions and regional councils of veterinary medicine, among other authorities in the area. The publication is about new teaching trends in the veterinary medicine area. To obtain issues of the publication contact the Communication Sector of PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO: Rosane Lopes - rlopes@panaftosa.ops-oms.org or Ana Carolina Almeida aalmeida@panaftosa.ops-oms.org Note: Available in Spanish only.
GUIDE TO RODENTS OF BRAZIL (GUIA DO ROEDORES DO BRASIL) - This publication was presented this month at The publication of the Association of American Universities of Veterinary Medicine (AAVMC in Portuguese) covers new education trends in the area and the prologue is signed by Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, Director of PAHO/WHO.
the II National Workshop of Research Applied to Hantavirus, The Guide to Rodents of Brazil (Guia dos in Mato Grosso, Brazil. It is an atlas with information on the Roedores do Brasil), presentation of the month most varied species of rodents existing in Brazil. The authors are Cibele Bonvicino, João Alves de Oliveira and Paulo Sérgio D’Andrea. The publication was coordinated by the Department of Social Communication of PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO
Cooperation ANIMAL HEALTH
Panaftosa-PAHO/WHO and WSPA strive to work for Animal Welfare and the Population
Connections PANAFTOSA NA TV
Panaftosa-PAHO/WHO in the TV
Dr. Albino Belotto welcomed Luciano Huck
Peter Davies, next to Dr. Belotto, traveled to Brazil to learn about the latest successful activities in animal welfare in the country and visited PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO
The World Society of Animal Protection (WSAP) and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) agreed to work together to promote animal welfare, the management of dog and cat populations in Brazil and the observation, prevention, control and eradication of zoonoses in the country. Dr. Albino Belotto, Director of PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO, said the visit was very important for opening up new and beneficial lines of cooperation and action promote animal welfare and help control problems that can also affect the population.
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A family living near PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO was chosen by the productors of the Brazilian TV program “Caldeirão do Huck” to win a complete renovation of their home, including furnnishing. The show, which is transmitted every Saturday by the Globo TV Network, used the green area of PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO as a backdrop during the filming of the program with the family. Dr. Belotto welcomed Luciano Huck and his team and said he considered it very important that the media use their visibility to draw attention to the needs of poor regions. He pointed out that PANAFTOSA-PAHO/ WHO, as a center that strives to promote better quality of life and health for the population of the Americas, always keeps doors open for events that serve the community.
Cooperation HEALTH EDUCATION
ADEPARÁ visits Panalimentos
Antonieta Martorano of ADEPARÁ (Agency of Agriculture and Livestock Defense of the State of Pará) visiting PANALIMENTOS
Partnerships FIGHT AGAINST BRUCELLOSIS
Partnership I : Panaftosa-PAHO/ WHO and Comexa in the Mercosur
In July, Lic. María de la Soledad Baca Esquinca and Dr. Gustavo A. Rodríguez Heres, from COMEXA, and Dr. Albino Belotto (at the right) signed a cooperation agreement with PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO for participation in the Project of Eradication of Bovine Brucellosis in the countries of the MERCOSUR.
During her stay in Rio de Janeiro, Antonieta Martorano, coordinator of health education of ADEPARÁ (Agency of Agriculture and Livestock Defense of the State of Pará), visited PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO to learn about the educational work developed by PANALIMENTOS. Antonieta Martorano pledged to work for the establishment of a partnership to implement the projects developed at PANALIMENTOS in her state. LATEST NEWS
LABORATORY OF PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO
Training Course on Vaccine Control
New Center for Training and Management of Sanitary Emergencies at Panaftosa-PAHO/WHO
The Laboratory team of PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO and the professionals who participated in the course
In August of this year, the laboratory of PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO held the course ELISA-CFL APPLIED TO VACCINES CONTROL. ELISA-CFL, an auxiliary test in active surveillance of FMD, is used for the indirect control of vaccine potency.
Last september, the Center for Training and Management of Sanitary Emergencies will be inaugurated at PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO. Already the 19-22 August, Meeting of Epidemiology professionals, of the FOCEM Project, Program of Action of MERCOSUR Free from Foot-and-Mouth Disease, was held: at the new facility. The inauguration was be on 15 September with the participation of the director of PAHO/WHO, Dr. Mirta Roses Periago. VPH NEWS- 5
Visits
Partnerships AVIAN INFLUENZA
Partnership II: Panaftosa-PAHO/WHO and IICA
In May of this year, Dr. Albino Belotto welcomed Dr. Maria do Carmo Leal (in the middle, next to Dr. Belotto), Dr. Dario Baumgarten, Technical Coordinator of the Southern Region of IICA Vice President of Education, Information and CommuPANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO welcomed the visit of Dr. Dario Baumgarten, technical nication of the Foundation Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) in coordinator of the Southern Region of the Inter-American Institute of Cooperation PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO. The objective is to establish to Agriculture (IICA) – Chile. The objective of the visit was to discuss cooperation joint actions with the institution responsible for great reon activities related to avian influenza. search initiatives in the health area in Brazil.
Visits to Panaftosa - PAHO/WHO
Visit of Dr. Rebecca de los Ríos, regional adviser on research and development in health – PAHO/WHO, Washington, DC Dr. Raymond Dugas, consultant in veterinary public health of PAHO/WHO in Guatemala
Dr. Albino Belotto welcomed representatives of the Society of Veterinary Medicine of Rio de Janeiro: Mário Antonio Teixeira, Lucio de Macedo Soares, Ubiratan Mendes Serrão, José Freire de Faria and René Dubois
Visit of Mr. Manuel Romão E. Antônio, security adviser of the United Nations in Brazil Production Director of PANAFTOSA – PAHO/WHO Albino Belotto Social Communication office Rosane Lopes / Ana Carolina Almeida (trainee)
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Review Suzanna Stephens – WDC
Students of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro and the Federal Fluminense University visited PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO to learn about the work developed in the animal health area.