The IZSAM in Botswana at the Regional Network PPCB SADC workshop

Attilio Pini, Head of the OIE Reference Laboratory (LR) for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), and Massimo Scacchia of the IZSAM attended the first meeting of the countries involved in the CBPP network in the SADC region , which was held from 17 to 19 December at the National Veterinary Laboratory (NVL) of Gaborone, in Botswana.

The network consists of representatives of the national laboratories and Veterinary Services of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Angola and is coordinated by the newborn LR for CBPP, established in 2012 in Gaborone. Its aim is to harmonize the activities carried out in the field and in laboratories in countries that still share the problems associated with the presence of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. The CBPP, in fact, is one of the health priorities of the African continent after the eradication of Rinderpest.

The meetings were attended by the representatives of Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia, Botswana's Permanent Secretary, Dr. Muetapele Lethwenyo, the OIE Representative for the SADC region Dr. Mapitse, the representative of the SADC region, Dr. Hulman, the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Modisa, and Dr. Marobela Roborokgwe, OIE expert for CBPP and Director of the NVL. Everyone thanked the IZS dell'Abruzzo e del Molise for the technical support given in the region and for providing the SILAB to as many as five national veterinary laboratories. The meeting was also attended by Dr. Samuel Adediran, head of the organization GALVmed (Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation), and Dr. George Mathlo, General Manager of the Botswana Vaccine Institute of Gaborone.

Attilio Pini and Massimo Scacchia have given presentations on the distribution of CBPP in the world and the research activities of the OIE Reference Laboratory of the IZSAM, focusing on any partnership proposals that may involve the network. The event allowed us to present the activities of scientific collaboration of the IZS dell'Abruzzo e del Molise carried out in Africa to Dr. Adediran from GALVmed. In addition, the representative of the Botswana Vaccine Institute asked the experts of a the IZS to provide a project proposal concerning the current vaccine in use, T1/44, with the intention to financially cover the cost.