Department of Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Ignacio Dela Cruz, who attended the meeting, said the conference drew the participation of delegates from 22 Pacific island jurisdictions and discussed recommendations on pandemic prevention efforts.
Dela Cruz said the meeting also tackled animal-human health in the Pacific region.
There were a lot of good presentations that were followed by “very productive discussions” on the Pacific islands’ preparedness and response plans, procurement and stockpiling of anti-viral drugs and vaccines, Dela Cruz said.
The task force, he added, also discussed conducting training on the proper procedures for shipping tissue and blood specimens for laboratory tests, the licensing and establishment of regional diagnostic laboratories in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Guam, New Caledonia and Saipan.
Dela Cruz said they planned exercises for each Pacific island to assess readiness.
More paraveterinary training is being planned for the Pacific islands including CNMI, as well as an effective networking among animal health groups and public health diagnostic laboratories, he added.
After the three-day meeting, Dela Cruz attended a two-day meeting of the Pacific Heads of Veterinary and Animal Production also in Fiji.
