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Countries should ensure that contingency plans meet at least the following requirements:
1. provision shall be made to ensure the legal powers necessary for the implementation of
the contingency plans and allow for a rapid and successful eradication campaign,
2. provision shall be made for access to emergency funds, budgetary powers and financial
resources to cover the cost of dealing with all aspects of an FMD epizootic,
3. a chain of command shall be established guaranteeing a rapid and effective
decision-making process for dealing with FMD epizootics. A central decision-making unit (CDU)
shall be in charge of the overall direction of control strategies and the chief veterinary officer
(CVO) shall be a member of this unit,
4. each country must be prepared to immediately establish a functional national disease
control centre (NDCC) in the event of an outbreak which shall co-ordinate the implementation of
all decisions taken in the CDU. A permanently operational co-ordinator shall be appointed to
guarantee the prompt establishment of the centre,
5. detailed plans shall be available to enable a country to be prepared for
the immediate set-up of local disease control centres in the event of FMD outbreaks in order
to implement disease control measures at a local level,
6. a permanently operational expert group shall be created which shall maintain
expertise and assist the relevant authority in qualitative disease preparedness,
7. provision must be made for adequate resources to ensure a rapid and effective
campaign, including personnel, equipment and laboratory capacity,
8. an up-to-date operations manual shall be available. It shall describe in detail
and in a comprehensive and practical way all the actions, procedures, instructions and control
measures to be employed in handling an outbreak of FMD,
9. detailed plans shall be available for emergency vaccination,
10. staff shall be regularly trained in:
the clinical signs, epidemiological enquiry and
control of epizootic diseases,
real time alert exercises, which are conducted
at least on a biennial basis,
communication skills to provide ongoing
disease awareness campaigns for authorities,
farmers and veterinarians,
different scenarios shall be drawn up, including a worst
case, taking into account the specific risk factors and other characteristics
of the country.
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