BAHA attends Red Diseases Workshop in Guatemala as part of commitment to keeping Belize free of New World Screwworm and other major disease threats

Posted: Friday, September 6, 2024. 11:10 am CST.

Dr. Roxanna Alvarez (left), Bernadette Cob, Extension Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE) (center), and Heinrich Peters, Chair of The Pig Council (right), attended the regional workshop in Guatemala – Photo Credit: BAHA

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Belize this week participated in a crucial workshop titled ‘Red Diseases in Pigs with Emphasis on African Swine Fever and Classical Swine Fever,’ in Guatemala.

“This workshop united the public and private sector with the ultimate result being the prevention of these economically devastating diseases,” said Dr. Roxanna Alvarez, Technical Director of Animal Health at the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), at the end of the workshop in Guatemala on Thursday.

The three-day workshop was sponsored by the National Pork Producers Council of the United States and OIRSA, and included participants from Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. OIRSA is the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health.

Dr. Roxanna Alvarez, Bernadette Cob, Extension Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE), and Heinrich Peters, Chair of The Pig Council, attended the regional workshop.

Through this collaborative effort, BAHA continues to demonstrate its commitment to protecting Belize’s swine industry and ensuring the health and safety of its agricultural sector. By working together, Belize is taking proactive steps to safeguard its livestock and prevent the spread of harmful diseases.

On the far right, Heinrich Peters, Chair of The Pig Council (left), Bernadette Cob, Extension Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE) (center), and Dr. Roxanna Alvarez (right), at regional Red Diseases in Pigs workshop in Guatemala – Photo Credit: BAHA

BAHA’s Comprehensive Efforts to Protect Belize’s Livestock

Apart from this workshop, BAHA is actively working to prevent the entrance of the New World Screwworm into Belize. The New World Screwworm, which recently resurfaced in Costa Rica, poses a significant threat to the cattle industry and other mammals in the region.

BAHA has implemented extensive surveillance and control measures to mitigate this risk. These include continuous monitoring of the zoo-sanitary situation in the region, raising public awareness through press releases, posters, and flyers, and conducting presentations to producer associations. BAHA has also heightened surveillance and inspection at entry points such as the Philip Goldson International Airport, land border stations, and known contraband entry areas.

Furthermore, BAHA has been training its technical officers and those at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE) to ensure they can handle any potential outbreaks. These proactive measures are part of BAHA’s ongoing commitment to maintaining Belize’s status as free from the New World Screwworm and protecting the country’s livestock industry.

Through these comprehensive efforts, BAHA continues to play a vital role in safeguarding Belize’s agricultural sector and ensuring the health and safety of its livestock.

Dr. Roxanna Alvarez at regional Red Diseases in Pigs workshop in Guatemala – Photo Credit: BAHA

 

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The post BAHA attends Red Diseases Workshop in Guatemala as part of commitment to keeping Belize free of New World Screwworm and other major disease threats appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

Posted: Friday, September 6, 2024. 11:10 am CST. Dr. Roxanna Alvarez (left), Bernadette Cob, Extension Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE)
The post BAHA attends Red Diseases Workshop in Guatemala as part of commitment to keeping Belize free of New World Screwworm and other major disease threats appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.