European Union

On 30 September, Friday, the first National Referent Laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Skopje (Veterinary Institute) will be officially opened. The funds have been provided through the national budget, as national contribution within IPA 2008. This will strengthen the diagnostic capacities of the Designated National Laboratory in regards to rabies analyses and performance of diagnostic tests.

On 1 October, Saturday, the free vaccination of pets will be organised in the Skopje City Park, as well as in additional 9 (nine) cities around the country. This activity will be organised in partnership with local veterinary practices and municipalities. (Please find below the agenda of the events.)

The European Union as a part of the regional Western Balkan programme for eradication of rabies and classical swine fever is providing technical assistance, in the amount of 2 million EUR, that among other objectives supports the Food and Veterinary Agency in the following activities: 

1. Establishing an adequate monitoring and reporting system that will provide reliable data about the situation with the rabies disease in the country;

2. Strengthen the rabies diagnostic capacity of the national laboratory at the Veterinary Faculty; and 

3. Preparation of the Action Plan and organisation of the preventive oral vaccination of foxes and wild life against rabies.

The ongoing technical assistance project is implemented by AESA Consortium, in the period 16 August 2010 - 15 August 2012.

The oral vaccination of foxes against rabies is a multi-annual programme and will be implemented twice a year in the next five years. The European Union is providing the vaccines for the oral vaccination. For this year's vaccination the EU provided 940,000 EUR from IPA 2008 programme and additional 1.7 million EUR have been allocated under IPA 2010 for vaccination in the next two years. 

The first phase of the activities from the initiative for eliminating rabies with oral vaccination of foxes was implemented in the course of May 2011. As a result of activities for improvement of the rabies passive surveillance system, 4 positive cases of rabies infected animals (2 foxes and 2 wolves) were confirmed in the country.

The vaccination campaign continues with the second flight in early October 2011. The vaccination will be performed in the countryside on the territory of the country. The planned number of vaccine baits for areal distribution is 500.000, with the vaccine bait density of 20 baits per 1 km². For better information of the citizens and raising the awareness of the risk of rabies, the vaccination campaign includes various information and communication tools, such as TV and radio spots, posters, leaflets, trainings and seminars for veterinary practitioners, hunters and medical doctors, in total, more than 1000 people trained, etc.

More info about the World rabies Day

Despite being 100% preventable, it is estimated that 55,000 people die worldwide from rabies each year, approximately one person every ten minutes.  The World Rabies Day initiative is a global rabies awareness campaign being founded and spearheaded by the UK charity Alliance for Rabies Control and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It aims to bring together relevant partners in an effort to address rabies prevention and control.  This year, our country is a partner in this endeavor.

“This is a coordinated effort to let the world know that this disease can be readily prevented through education, pet vaccination and increased human awareness as to proper wound management and administration of rabies vaccination after an exposure has occurred”, says Dr. Deborah Briggs, Executive Director for the Alliance for Rabies Control. “A major part of this effort is the declaration of an annual World Rabies Day on September 28^th. Events are planned throughout the world to increase awareness about rabies, and to raise support and funding towards its prevention and control”, adds Ms. Briggs. 

Additional information is available online at www.besnilo.gov.mk  and at www.worldrabiesday.org or by calling the Food and Veterinary Agency at:
(02) 080032222

The journalists and photographers are kindly invited to cover these events.

For information relating to this Press Release please contact Mr Konstantin Jovanovski, Press and Information Officer. Tel: +389 (0)2 3248 500. E-mail: konstantin.jovanovski@ec.europa.eu

AGENDA

Events organised on the occasion of the World Rabies Day (28 September)

Official opening of the Rabies National Reference Laboratory

 Date: 30 September 2011, Friday

Time: 11:00 – 13:00

Venue: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,Skopje

10:30-11:00 Arrivals and registration

11:10-11:40 Addresses:
Mr. Dejan Runtevski, Director FVA

Mr. Robin Liddell, Chargé d'Affairs, EU Delegation

Prof. Dr.Dine Mitrov, Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Ms. Florence Cliquet, International Rabies Expert, AESA Consortium, Project implementing

11:40-12:00 Journalists’ questions and visit of the Lab

12:00 Refreshments

 

Public Event: Free vaccination of pets – Skopje City Park (Shkolka)

Date: 1 October 2011, Saturday

Time: 11:00 – 14:00

Venue: Old City Park (Shkolka)