Authorities urge stronger surveillance as region enters new phase in fight against FMD

Stronger surveillance, diagnostics and emergency response systems must be central to the region’s next phase of Foot and Mouth Disease control, Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has said.

As officials prepare to launch the 2026 to 2030 action cycle, Mustapha said sustained vigilance is needed despite major progress across the region. He was speaking at the opening of the 52nd Ordinary Meeting of the South American Commission for the Fight Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (COSALFA) held at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Center.

He warned that as countries move closer to eliminating the disease, the risks of setbacks increase if surveillance and coordination weaken.

“The closer we get to full eradication, the higher the stakes become. One breach, one lapse in cross border coordination, one weakness in early detection, can undo years of effort,” the minister said.

Mustapha said the meeting marks a shift from reviewing the 2021 to 2025 Action Plan to shaping the 2026 to 2030 cycle, which will prioritise improved monitoring systems, faster response mechanisms and stronger regional coordination.

He said technical discussions over the next two days will focus on post-vaccination surveillance, diagnostic laboratory performance, animal movement controls and emergency preparedness, alongside emerging pressures such as climate variability and increased trade flows.

“This is not a routine meeting. It is a moment to sharpen our collective resolve. The region has come too far, invested too much, and built too strong a foundation to allow complacency to creep in,” Mustapha said.

Ex-officio COSALFA Secretary Manuel Sanchez said the Americas remain largely free of Foot and Mouth Disease, with the exception of Venezuela, and have not recorded intraregional introductions since 2018. But global circulation of the virus, including outbreaks in countries previously considered free, reinforces the need for sustained prevention systems.

“Outbreaks reported in recent years in countries previously recognised as free without vaccination, including several countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, clearly demonstrate that FMD continues to pose a global risk,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez said COSALFA continues to serve as a key platform for coordination and risk assessment as the region moves into its next five-year strategy cycle.