On February 23–27 of this year, Satenik Kharatyan, a staff member of the Molecular Biology and Serology Department of the Scientific Center, participated in an international real-time training program organized by the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, held in Kenya.

The aim of the program was to develop participants’ professional capacities for rapid and effective response during foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks. During the training, participants had the opportunity to directly engage in epidemiological investigations of FMD, recognition of clinical signs, sampling procedures, as well as the implementation of biosecurity and outbreak management measures.

Within the framework of the training, various emergency management and response mechanisms for FMD outbreaks were also presented, aimed at ensuring effective action under different possible scenarios.

Participation enabled Satenik Kharatyan to compare the approaches applied in Armenia with the practices of European, American, and Australian veterinary services, as well as to gain deeper insight into the practical experience and applied approaches in FMD-endemic countries.