Simulation exercise: African swine fever in Mexico

Dr Juan Gay Gutiérrez, Director general of animal health, Animal and Plant Health, Food Safety and Food Quality National Service (SENASICA*), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico informed the OIE that a field simulation exercise on African swine fever (ASF), denominated “Megasimulacro PPA” will take place in Mexico from 24 to 26 September 2019.

The main objective of “Megasimulacro PPA” is to test the alert capacity and the organisation during an early response when facing the presence of exotic animal diseases, such as ASF.

“Megasimulacro PPA” will simulate simultaneous outbreaks of the disease in eight federative entities in Mexico: Sonora, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Puebla, Chiapas and Yucatán. The exercise will be coordinated and directed by SENASICA from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico and will include Mexican participants as well as international observers.

The sought objectives of the Megasimulacro PPA are the following:

1. Deploy all SENASICA resources to practice and evaluate the response capacity of the Mexican Veterinary Services acting within the frame of the National Emergency Animal Health System (Dinesa) and State Animal Health Response Groups (Geesa). on the one hand and on the other hand to review the practical aspects of diagnosis, investigation, biosafety, containment and eradication of ASF.
2. Activate the SENASICA Animal Health Emergency Operations Center to practice and evaluate its command center, communication and response protocols for the requirements of health emergencies at national level.
3. Put the emphasis, with all federal actors including the Armed Forces, the National Guard in addition to local governments, on the coordination and follow-up required to mitigate and eliminate risk, according to established animal health response processes with a view to undertaking proactive actions when facing an emergency in a specific geographical area.
4.  Implement and evaluate a social communication plan for the press and social networks to keep the production sector in Mexico informed about SENASICA actions for the containment and eradication of an African swine fever outbreak as well as to reassure the community about the protection of its food and public health.
   
   

_{*SENASICA – Servicio nacional de sanidad, inocuidad y calidad agroalimentaria}

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World Animal Health Information and Analysis Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
[email protected]