Middle East & Eastern Europe Rabies Expert Bureau Meeting 3rd Edition Organized by Fondation Mérieux Mérieux University Lyon, France 7-9 th April, 2015
Background Following the 1st Middle East and Eastern Europe Rabies Expert Bureau (MEEREB) meeting held in Turkey in 2010, the group of rabies experts from 8 participating countries met in June 2012 in Paris, France for the 2nd meeting, together with representatives from the Institute Pasteur and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control to discuss the rabies situation in their respective countries, its evolution, the problems encountered and the solutions. Human rabies, number of animal bites and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) administered are notifiable in all MEEREB countries however reliable rabies data in the region still remain scarce especially regarding human rabies reporting. Thanks however to MEEREB members active participation, a clearer image of the rabies situation in the region is becoming more apparent. MEEREB participants stated that human rabies transmitted by dogs can be and should be eliminated from the region and discussed requirements to conduct a successful rabies elimination program. Although in all MEEREB countries a legal framework for rabies control exists, most often rabies elimination is not considered as a public health priority. In addition, although some rabies control measures are already in place, there is still a significant disparity among the MEEREB countries as to each country s response to its rabies situation. Furthermore, some of the conditions for successful rabies elimination programs are not met. MEEREB members agreed that reinforced intersectional collaboration and One Health approach are the keys for successful rabies control. Meeting Objective Continue the development of the regional network of rabies experts in the aim to improve rabies control and prevention in related countries through shared experiences, advocacy and implementation of stateof-the-art knowledge in practice. Expected Outputs Action Plan or Pilot projects on a specific identified rabies problematic Meeting report Publication(s) of highlights and main outcomes 2
Scientific programme Tuesday, April 7 th 2015 Participants arrival 19:00 Welcome cocktail & dinner Opening Wednesday, April 8 th 2015 08:00-8:30 Participants Registration Poster Display 08:30 08:40 Welcome Address (Agenda review & meeting objective) Fondation Mérieux 08:40-08:55 Institutional welcome addresses: WHO, OIE, FAO Bernadette Abela- Ridder Alain Dehove Katinka de Balogh 08:55-09:10 Keynote Lecture: MEEREB: Origins & Achievements Betty Dodet 09:10-09:40 Keynote Lecture: Perspectives in rabies therapies Noel Tordo 09:40-10:10 Coffee break (Continuous Poster display) 3
Scientific programme Session 1 Assessing Rabies Epidemiology & Burden Session objectives: - To assess the burden of the disease - To explore new opportunities to improve pre-exposure prophylaxis in humans Chairs: Firoozeh Farahtaj and Louis Nel 10:10-11:30 Roundtable: An overview of epidemiological data from participating countries : Algeria Croatia Georgia Iran Iraq Morocco Romania Serbia Tajikistan Tunisia Ukraine A. Soufi R. Vodopija P. Imnadze F. Farahtaj A. Gholami M. Reza Shirzadi J. Kifah M. Mohammed Ismael A. Barkia A.Rafila N. Vranješ F. Davlyatov S. Ben Maiz, Z. Bouslama I. Zaouia V. Nedoseko 11:30-11:50 Pre-exposure prophylaxis in humans Anvar Rasuli 11:50-12:10 What protocol in a dog vaccination campaign Florence Cliquet 12:10-13:10 WORKSHOP 1: Health economic parameters in canine enzootic areas: pre- versus post- exposure prophylaxis approaches in humans Moderator: Alexia Kieffer Rapporteur: Anna Fahrion 13:10 Lunch 4
Scientific programme Session 2 Towards a One Health Approach & Adoption of Novel Tools Session objectives: - To kick-off the development of multi-sectoral (human & animal health) countries plans for improving one health approaches Chairs: Andreu Rafila and Luis Alberto Franco 14:00-14:25 14:25-14:50 14:50-15:50 Current WHO recommendations on postexposure prophylaxis Current OIE recommendations for rabies control in animals Novel Innovative resource tools: The Stepwise Approach towards Rabies Elimination Rabies country evaluation capacity tool: efficient resource allocation to support sustainable rabies control Rabies Educators certificate Bernadette Abela- Ridder Alain Dehove Katinka de Balogh Luis Alberto Franco Louis Nel 15:50-16:20 Coffee break 16:20-16:40 The GARC perspective on One Health Louis Nel 16:40-17:30 One Health experience from member countries Nenad Vranješ (Serbia) Firoozeh Farahtaj (Iran) Ichraf Zaouia (Tunisia) 17:30-18:30 WORKSHOP 2: WRD-2015 preparation Improving collaboration of Human and Animal Health professionals Moderator: Olga Lyabis Rapporteur: Valentina Picot 19:00 Diner 5
Session 3 Thursday, April 9 th 2015 Overview on International and National Guidelines & Policies Session objectives: - Identify key areas of action as policy goals and source for advocacy Chairs: Gyanendra Gongal and Paata Imnadze 9:00-9:25 Harmonized international guidelines and policies Gyanendra Gongal 9:25-9:45 Current National policy situation and conformity with international guidelines Paata Imnadze (Georgia) Aziz Barkia (Morocco) 9:45-10:15 Coffee break 10:15-11:15 WORKSHOP 3 Roadmap to policy goals What Do We Know and What Should We Do? 11:15-12:00 WORKSHOPS Restitution Moderator: Joanne Maki Rapporteur: Lyn Morgan Workshop Rapporteurs: Anna Fahrion Valentina Picot Lyn Morgan 12:00-12:10 12h10 pm MEEREB community- presentation on how to register and take part of actions that will be followed via the web-based community The Meeting in review & actions forward Cécile Bekkers Noel Tordo & Valentina Picot 12:30 End of Meeting 12:30 Lunch 6
For further information on this agenda please contact: Valentina Picot, DVM, CRA Conference Manager Research Advisor Fondation Mérieux valentina.picot@fondation-merieux.org Natalia Rimolo Conference Coordinator Fondation Mérieux natalia.rimolo-rojas@fondation-merieux.org This meeting was made possible thanks to an unrestricted educational grant from Sanofi Pasteur