Enhancing the diagnostic capacity of in Ghana to respond to avian influenza

This project aims to enhance the capacity of Ghana’s Veterinary Services Directorate to diagnose high consequence animal pathogens of security concern. It does so by delivering training to laboratory staff and assessing Canadian-funded biocontainment laboratories in Accra Pong-Tamale and Takoradi Ghana. Project activities include: (1) providing and supporting maintenance of laboratory equipment in Accra Pong-Tamale and Takoradi; (2) training the staff of Ghana’s veterinary laboratory in Accra on technical issues sample collection and analysis; (3) providing and installing egg incubator and incinerator at the Accra veterinary laboratory; and (4) collecting sample from poultry farms across Ghana and testing them as part of the active surveillance of avian influenza and Newcastle disease viruses.

The expected outcome of this project includes: increased biological non-proliferation and threat reduction capacity for highly pathogenic avian influenza in the West Africa sub-region. This helps to mitigate the risk for its potential use as a bioterrorism agent.