The World Organisation of Animal Health has convened a regional training workshop on risk and crisis communication for animal health emergencies. 

The event, attended by several delegates from Africa in partnership with Canada, aims to enhance the capacity of participating countries to manage and communicate during animal health crises. 

The workshop, which started on Monday, focuses on various aspects of risk and crisis communication, including early warning signs, message development, stakeholder engagement, and the use of media and technology in effective communication. 

Albertina Shilongo, the Chief Veterinary Officer, emphasised the importance of hosting the regional training workshop on risk and crisis communication for animal health emergencies.

"The purpose of conducting this workshop, or the objective of it, is to be able to develop risk communication for animal health emergencies. At times, we are faced with disease outbreaks, and we are responsible for the directorate of the veterinarian service of the world, which is responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and detecting animal diseases. We are expected to detect outbreaks as early as possible to respond to outbreaks early."

Highlighting the importance of media in disseminating information during animal health emergencies, the sub-regional representative for Southern Africa, Moetapele Letshweno, emphasised the importance of media and technology.

"That is where the media comes in, because communication on its own is a field on its own, and then we now realise that veterinarians are not well versed in issues of communication, and we take it as a by-the-way, this workshop is trying to say communication is very important because if you don't do it, a lot of things can happen, the public can be uninformed, everyone can communicate whatever is on their mind, there can be misinformation or disinformation, so communication is very important, but the authority has to inform a clear, right information before any misinformation takes place."

The training comes at a time when WOAH celebrates its 100th anniversary. The organisation dedicated itself to the service of animal health, to prevent, control, and eradicate animal diseases worldwide.

"WOAH was founded in 1924 to coordinate global control of animal health. Last year we rebranded, and with this rebranding, we now understand that we have a shared health, animal health is connected to human health and human health and the environment, and therefore, by improving animal health, human health is improved for all," says one of the delegates at the workshop, Dan Donache.

The regional training workshop underlines the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and preparedness in safeguarding animal health and ensuring food security. It ends on Friday.