PLAN OF WORK FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 2000- NOVEMBER 2001

A. PLAN OF WORK FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 2000- NOVEMBER 2001

1. TRAINING COURSE ON INTERSECTORAL AND MULTISECTORAL COLLABORATION IN PREVENTION, SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL PROGRAMMES

Objectives:	To provide: Understanding of the significance of the intersectoral collaboration and co-ordination in prevention surveillance and control of zoonoses and related foodborne diseases. Basic knowledge and skills on epidemiological, surveillance and control. Basic knowledge on methods for situation evaluation and progress promotion.
Tentative Agenda:	1. Essential Tools for Effective Implementation of Zoonoses & Related Foodborne Diseases Prevention, Surveillance and Control Programmes on Emergencies Preparedness & Management, etc. 1.1 Importance of close collaboration between public health, veterinary and other authorities 1.2 Intersectoral collaboration and co-ordination Importance of close collaboration and co-ordination among public health, veterinary and other relevant authorities Developing intersectoral collaboration Constraints in intersectoral collaboration in various situations 1.3 Public health education Health education goal Health education in schools, workplace and in the community Multisectoral collaboration on health education programmes 2. Interministerial (on zoonoses, emergencies, etc.) Committees and their Role in the: Enforcement of intersectoral collaboration and co-ordination Preparation of zoonoses and related foodborne diseases prevention, surveillance and control programmes, as well as for emergencies' preparedness and management Persuading decision-makers on programmes proposed for adoption and funding Formulation of proposals for legislative measures establishing intersectoral collaboration as essential strategy in all fields of activities 3. Formulating Projects Based on Intersectoral (Horizontal) Collaboration & Co-Ordination 3.1 General considerations on epidemiological surveillance and information systems 3.1.1 Specifying objectives 3.1.2 Defining data to be collected 3.1.3. Selecting methods and proceedures 3.1.4 Surveillance and monitoring 3.1.5 Information flows 3.1.6 Analysis of information 4. Case and Outbreak's Investigations 5. Intersectoral Use and Utility of Laboratories in Zoonoses Prevention, Surveillance and Control 6. Examples of Intersectoral Collaboration and Co-Ordination in Various Situations 6.1 Brucellosis and foodborne diseases prevention, surveillance and control 6.2 Emergencies' preparedness and management 6.3 Urban veterinary hygiene 7. Institutional Framework Ministries, Services, Agencies involved in collaborative activities Definition of responsibilities Identification and use of human resources of multisectoral origin in activities provided by a project 8. Evaluation of the Progress of a Programme 8.1 Setting indexes and indicators 8.2 Assessing the progress of programmes' implementation 8.3 Assessing the progress of intersectoral collaboration implementation 8.4 Corrective actions
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2. TRAINING COURSE ON THE FORMULATION AND MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL AND RESEARCH PROJECTS ON ZOONOSES AND RELATED FOODBORNE DISEASES PREVENTION SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL
Objectives:	To provide: techniques and methods in formulating and evaluating national prevention, surveillance and control programmes. techniques and methods in project management. methods for human and financial resources management and setting of priorities. understanding the importance of intersectoral (horizontal) collaboration in prevention, surveillance and control programmes.
Tentative Agenda:	1. Epidemiological Surveillance and Information Systems 1.1 Surveillance procedures Specifying objectives Defining data to be collected Selecting methods and procedures Data collection and reporting procedures 1.2 Information systems in prevention surveillance and control Information flows Analysis of information Use of sampling in surveillance and monitoring (techniques and size) 2. Formulating a Project Document 2.1 Background information: environmental, socio-economic and cultural features of the country/region(s); epidemiological baseline data; analysis of the problem(s) 2.2 Setting targets and objectives of the programme 2.3 Choice of strategies on zoonoses control - Prevention - Elimination - Control - Coexistence 2.4 Prevention and control activities: preparatory and specific 2.5 Critical issues in designing and evaluating surveillance systems 3. Institutional Framework 3.1 Authorities and agencies to be involved; definition of responsibilities 3.2 Intersectoral (horizontal) collaboration and co-ordination: importance and enforcement 3.3 Identification and use of staff of multisectoral origin responsible for each activity provided etc. 3.4 Constraints of intersectoral collaboration 4. Human and Financial Resource Analysis, Management and Development 4.1 Evaluation of the Progress of a Project 4.2 Setting indexes and indicators 4.3 Assessing the progress of the programme's implementation 4.4 Assessing the progress of the intersectoral collaboration implementation 4.5 Corrective actions 6. Assessments of Programme's Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectivenessv 7. Interministerial (in Zoonoses, Emergencies, etc.) Committees and their Role in the: Enforcement of intersectoral collaboration and co-ordination Preparation of zoonoses and related foodborne diseases prevention, surveillance and control programmes, as well as for emergencies' preparedness and management Persuading decision-makers on programmes proposed for adoption and funding Formulation of proposals for legislative measures establishing intersectoral collaboration as essential strategy in all fields of activities 8. International Technical Collaboration through International Organizations for Funding and Technical Contribution 9. Working Groups in the Afternoon Sessions 10. Evaluation of the Training Course 11. Conclusions and Recommendations
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3. TRAINING COURSE ON HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS (HACCP) SYSTEMS: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS
Objectives:	To promote an understanding and awareness of food safety practices; To establish approaches for the identification of hazards, critical control points and critical limits; To provide an understanding of HACCP principles and practices and its application in the production of food of animal origin; To propose legislative measures supporting the HACCP systems
Tentative Agenda:	1. Food Safety: A World Wide Public Health Problem (with special reference to the Mediterranean and Middle East Regions) 2. Contamination of Food by Pathogenic and/or Toxic Agents at the Production, Processing and Preservation Levels 2.1 Zoonotic pathogenic agents - Salmonella - Enterohaemorragic E. coli - Campilobacter - Listeria 2.1 Zoonotic pathogenic agents - Salmonella - Enterohaemorragic E. coli - Campilobacter - Listeria 2.3 Heavy metals residues - Lead - Mercury - Mycotoxines - Cadmium - Dioxines and other material noxious to the consumer 3. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Systems 3.1 Principles of the HACCP and its applications 3.2 Importance of the HACCP system for public health and economy 3.3 Steps in the application of HACCP 4. Implementation of a HACCP System 4.1 Carrying out a HACPP study 4.2 Preparing the process flow diagram 4.3 Selecting critical control points (hazards) and targets level 4.4 Specifying criteria and identifying hazards 4.5 Establishing monitoring systems 4.5.1 Setting priorities 4.5.2 Setting corrective action plan 4.6 Records keeping and documentation 4.7 Auditing HACCP systems 5. Adaptation of HACCP Systems to: Small size production units in relation to local, social and economic conditions Producer's education level, financial position and technical development 6. Regulatory Considerations Establishment of appropriate legislation to adopt and promote HACCP systems' implementation Training of state staff for efficient regulatory control of HACCP programmes 7. Intersectoral and Multisectoral Collaboration and Co-Ordination: Key-Elements for Efficient Zoonoses' and Food Safety Surveillance and Control Programmes 8. Institutional Framework 8.1 Authorities and agencies involved in HACCP systems application 8.2 Definition of responsibilities 8.3 Intersectoral (Horizontal) communication and collaboration 8.4 Identification of staff of multisectoral origin to contribute on HACCP implementation 8.5 Constraints in intersectoral collaboration 9. Interministerial Committees and their Role in the: Enforcement of intersectoral collaboration Enforcement of intersectoral collaboration Legislative measures establishing intersectoral collaboration in all fields of activities International technical collaboration and contribution 10. Working Groups in the Afternoon Session 11. Evaluation of the Training Course 12. Conclusions and Recommendations
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4. TRAINING COURSE ON RISK ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT
Objectives:	To provide knowledge on the use of epidemiological information in making assessment of risk and understanding of risk analysis principles and management; knowledge on the use of epidemiological information in making assessment of risk and understanding of risk analysis principles and management; knowledge on the use of epidemiological information in making assessment of risk and understanding of risk analysis principles and management; knowledge of international trade rules and regulations according to the WTO Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) Agreement and the OIE International Animal Health Code
Tentative Agenda:	1. General epidemiological aspects of major zoonoses in the Mediterranean region 2. General epidemiological aspects of zoonotic foodborne diseases in the Mediterranean region 3. Hazard and risk: definition of the concepts; characterisation of risk elements; quantification and interpretation 4. Risk assessment: understanding and application - Components and strategies of qualitative and quantitative risk assessment in zoonoses and foodborne diseases prevention and control 5. Hazard identification and characterisation 6. Risk analysis: evaluation of accuracy assessment 7. Risk analysis in animals and products of animal origin international trade 8. Risk management: development of strategies for the management of exposure to pathogenic and/or toxic agents 9. Analysis of techniques proposed by OIE International Animal Health Code 10. Other risk analysis techniques 11. International trade following the SPS agreement 12. OIE role in international trade 13. Veterinary certification and evaluation of Veterinary Services 14. Training course evaluation 15. Conclusions and recommendations 16. Working groups in the afternoon sessions
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5. TRAINING COURSE ON THE QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR LABORATORIES
Objective:	To provide knowledge and skills on the management of laboratories according to internationally recognised quality assurance standards
Tentative Agenda:	1. Role of laboratory services in public health and animal health care 2. Role of laboratories in surveillance and control of zoonoses and related foodborne diseases 3. Definition, scope and importance of laboratory service quality assurance 4. Laboratory management: Definition and aims Managing weaknesses and strengths Personnel management Organisation and function planning Determining priorities Developing general objectives and goals to be met Resource management - cost accounting for laboratories Cost-effectiveness in laboratory practice Central versus district laboratories National reference laboratories Networking of laboratories Mobilisation and allocation of adequate resources, space, trained personnel, etc. 5. Quality assurance in laboratory practices Scope and importance of quality assurance in laboratories Quality system according to UNI EN 45001 norms Internal quality control External quality assessment Continuous quality assurance management Development of appropriate manpower - continuous education Selection and maintenance of laboratory equipment 6. Legislative suggestions for establishing laboratory quality assurance in the MZCP countries 7. Mapping of diagnostic laboratories (central and district-public health and veterinary) in the MZCP countries (including food of animal origin control) 8. Conclusions and Recommendations 9. Working groups: 2 or more hours in the afternoon sessions
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TOTAL FOR NATIONAL TRAINING ACTIVITIES

C. SPECIFIC DISEASES ORIENTED APPROACHES

1.1 Research Project on the Evaluation of Treatment Regimes of Human Brucellosis in Endemic Areas

Expert monitoring visits in the country of implementation

TOTAL FOR SPECIFIC DISEASES ORIENTED APPROACHES

D. GENERAL HYGIENE ORIENTED APPROACHES

Activities (workshops) to eventually be held in collaboration with Italian institutions. Expenses include per diem only:
- Occupational Hygiene
- Urban Veterinary Hygiene
- Food and Environmental Hygiene

TOTAL FOR GENERAL HYGIENE ORIENTED APPROACHES

E. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

2. Ad hoc meeting on the co-ordination/implementation of the MZCP training activities, Teramo, Italy, January 2000

3. Upgrading of the MZCP Computer Technology System

4. Training of the MZCC human resources on the development of computer technology

5. 14th Session of the MZCP Joint Co-ordinating Committee. Place and period to be defined

6. Running Costs (2 years) for co-ordination by the MZCC

7. Development of training material and other incidental expenses for two years

8. Collaboration with UN/FAO, OIE and EU

- Collaborative plans of action on-going