Pan African programme for the control of epizootics, epidemiology unit wildlife component in Eastern Africa, 7 ACP RPR 744-9 CIRAD Contract 613061 : draft final report contract period July 2000 - October 2005. Draft version 4/25/2006

The Pan African Programme for the Control of Epizootics (PACE) was launched by the AU-IBAR in July 2000. The wildlife component was organized within the Epidemiology Unit, with the TA for Eastern African based in Nairobi, focusing on the epidemio-surveillance of rinderpest in wild animals. The wildlife contract was held by CIRAD with technical assistance provided through a sub-contract with the Zoological Society of London to implement the activities in East Africa until 2004 and all regions Oct 2004 to Oct 2005. A specific and targeted surveillance of wildlife disease was considered necessary for the PACE programme and for progress towards eradication of rinderpest virus based on expert opinion. The wildlife component contributed to the following PACE objectives: 1. Enhancement of national capacities in respect of epidemiological services. 2. Facilitation of the eradication of rinderpest from Africa. 3. Assistance to member countries in the control of other major epizootic diseases. Main constraints and failures: 1. In relation to the practical execution of wildlife disease surveillance, the organizational structure of PACE and method of funding (through PACE National programmes), was found to be inappropriate and the most important constraint on the outputs. Although strategies and mechanisms for wildlife disease surveillance were established, at least in theory, at a National level the speed of execution of activities under the work plans was very poor and of a lesser scope than originally planned. The reasons were mainly financial due to delays in release of funds from EC to countries and from country programmes to executing agencies. This was a particular problem in Ethiopia and Kenya but common to all country programmes. 2. Establishment of the current epidemiological situation amongst wildlife within Somalia was not achieved due to organizational, logistic and political constraints, some of which were outside of the control of the PACE epidemiology unit and PACE coordination components. Considerable time was spent convincing the Somalia programme of the importance of the wildlife surveillance and only towards the end of the programme had this been adequately embraced and incorporated into their planning, although even then no actual execution of activities has taken place. This must be seen as a singular failure of PACE Somalia, which is responsible for a remaining focal area of rinderpest globally. (Résumé d'auteur