Adama (August 2026) Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), convened a consultative workshop in Adama to review and endorse a national standard operating guide aimed at ensuring rapid and coordinated responses to animal health emergencies.
Speaking at the forum, Dr. Sisay Getachew, Lead Executive Officer for Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted that an animal health hazard control system has been introduced under the new Animal Health and Welfare Proclamation (No. 1376/2017). This updated guideline mandates prompt reporting of disease outbreaks and establishes a framework for seamless resource-sharing across regional states.
Grounded in the “One Health” approach which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health the system enables federal ministries, regional veterinary bureaus, and international biosafety experts to operate in close coordination.
Dr. Frederic Poudevigne, Emergency Management Specialist at the FAO, emphasized that the guideline is a dynamic, “living document” that continuously updates alongside evolving epidemic threats. This ensures that federal and regional authorities operate under a unified strategy during crisis situations.
Mohammed Raja, local representative of DTRA, noted that true success lies in following clear operating protocols through veterinary services to intercept biological threats early before they escalate into long-term socio-economic crises.
Furthermore, this structural framework empowers technical teams to rapidly update operational manuals when sudden disease risks emerge without disrupting the general chain of command thereby preventing anticipated economic harm. By building response capacity across all regions, local medical teams and first responders can readily apply these protocols to address future outbreak threats effectively.
Reporter: – Gedion Negash
Camera: – Yodit Endalew
