Workshop on Newcastle Disease and ND vaccines

Information from the workshop organised in Maputo by GALVmed, PANVAC and IIAM

In October 2009, in Maputo, Mozambique, the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), the African Union Commission, the Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (PANVAC) and Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Moçambique (IIAM,) joined efforts to organize a Workshop on Newcastle Disease, focusing on the needs of the traditional village poultry sector and the poor farmers. Some of the world’s foremost experts on Newcastle Disease gathered to share their knowledge with participants from over 27 countries.

A viral disease of birds, Newcastle Disease (ND) devastates the traditional village poultry that provide a lifeline to many poor people across the developing world. For many of the poorest people in the world, poultry and poultry products are the source of protein and income that make the difference between survival and sustainability, yet this is also a fragile resource. Science may not have the answers to all animal health disease, but we know that in terms of Newcastle Disease there are viable vaccine interventions that work right now to protect these precious flocks. The challenge is about making technology meet needs.

Excellent information and presentations were given by the different speakers, reflecting a variety of subjects related to ND, ND vaccines and ND control solutions. During the workshop, the results from a questionnaire sent out in advance to the participants were shown, providing a good overall vision and feedback of the ND and ND vaccines situation in different countries. Also the participants arrived at some very clear recommendations and conclusions which will impact upon and inform the work on Newcastle Disease, providing leadership and direction in policy and technical aspects for such a critical issue for the poorest farmers. All the information is available in the links below.

Materials from the conference:

• Agenda
• Recommendations from the Conference
• Recommendations (Portuguese)
• Newcastle Disease vaccines questionnaire results
• Abstracts

Presentations

Session 1: Backyard poultry systems in Africa and South Asia

• African backyard poultry situation – Babafunso Sonaiya
• Backyard poultry situation in South Asia – Mamta Dhawan

Session 2: ND Situation in Africa

• Newcastle Disease review – Shahn Bisschop
• Newcastle Disease virus – Claudio Afonso
• Newcastle Disease overview in Africa – Robyn Alders

Session 3: Available ND vaccines in Africa and India

• Thermostable candidates – Peter Spradbrow
• Thermostable vaccines in India – John Kirubaharan
• Adjuvant for ND vaccines – Amina Bensaber
• Laprovet ND vaccines – Gil Nhantumbo
• Intervet ND vaccines – Greg Celliers
• Merial ND vaccines – Jean Cilliers

Session 4: ND control strategies, monitoring & evaluation

• Village projects in Tanzania – Roggers Mosha
• Village projects in Burkina Faso – Samuel Minougou
• Village projects in India – Shasheen Akter
• Control solutions, including GALVmed pilot project – Shashi Kapur
• Integrated approach: the KYEEMA experience – Robyn Alders
• Socio cultural issues ND control in backyard poultry – Brigitte Bagnol