[Network for epidemiologic surveillance of animal diseases in Chad]

An epidemiosurveillance network for diseases of animals was introduced in Chad to ensure early reporting to animal husbandry organisations should the incidence of an existing disease increase, or should an exotic disease reappear. The network also serves for the collection of information on the principal diseases of livestock. A list of eight priority diseases was drawn up with specific surveillance objectives for each disease. Information (from surveys and sampling) from all new outbreaks of the diseases under surveillance is gathered by participants in the field (officials in public service and private veterinarians) and sent to the diagnostic laboratory, which examines the findings before disseminating them to the field. The first year of operation in the field has made it possible to evaluate the feasibility of the method and to collect fundamental epidemiological information on the diseases under surveillance. The advantage of the network is the provision of a means of communication between the field and the laboratory. The network enables collection of information in a standard form, the training of field agents and the organisation of the structure of the laboratory. Persistent problems are the motivation of some participants in the field and difficulties in communication which have to be overcome in order to obtain reliable data rapidly.