NAIROBI, Kenya- The African Union – InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources has challenged African countries to prioritise quality animal health data to strengthen disease surveillance, improve decision-making, and support livestock development across the continent.
Speaking at the closing of the four-day Training of ARIS Advanced End Users for Anglophone Countries of Eastern, Southern, and selected West African Countries in Nairobi, Dr Huyam Salih said reliable data remains critical for tracking livestock diseases and guiding effective interventions.
The workshop, held from May 11 to 14, brought together experts, regional representatives, and partners under the Pan-African Programme for the Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).
Dr Salih thanked participating countries, regional economic communities, technical experts, and development partners for their commitment during the training.
She also acknowledged support from the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health for supporting animal health systems in Africa.
“The success of a workshop is not measured only by what happened in the room. It is measured above all by what happens afterwards,” Dr Salih said.
She urged participating countries to translate lessons from the workshop into practical action by improving data management, system configuration, validation practices, and ensuring the Animal Resources Information System (ARIS) is fully utilised for surveillance and reporting.
According to the AU-IBAR Director, poor-quality data weakens disease analysis and undermines critical decisions in the livestock sector.
“If there is one message we must take away from this week, it is this: data only has value if it is of good quality, and if it is used,” she noted.
She warned that incomplete, inconsistent, and unvalidated data reduce confidence and limit the effectiveness of animal health interventions across Africa.
Dr Salih further challenged participants to become resource persons within their countries and institutions by championing data quality and supporting other ARIS users.
She said AU-IBAR will continue supporting member states through follow-up activities aimed at consolidating gains made during the training.
The workshop forms part of broader continental efforts to strengthen animal health information systems and support the eradication of livestock diseases such as Peste des Petits Ruminants.
