Bureau for animal welfare pushes African states to improve health data systems

Dr Huyam Salih- AU IBAR Director 

The African Union–InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources has challenged African countries to strengthen animal health information systems by investing in accurate, reliable, and usable livestock data.

The bureau said quality data remains central in disease surveillance, livestock planning, and effective response to animal health threats across Africa.

Its Director, Dr Huyam Salih, said that while a two-day workshop held in Nairobi had achieved its objectives, the real test would be how countries implement the lessons learnt after returning home.

She spoke during the closing of the ARIS Advanced End Users Training Workshop in Nairobi, which brought together experts from Eastern, Southern, and selected West African countries to strengthen the use of the Animal Resources Information System (ARIS) under the Pan-African Programme for the Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).

“The success of a workshop is not measured only by what happened in the room. It is measured above all by what happens afterwards,” she said.

She urged participating countries to improve data validation practices, strengthen reporting systems, and ensure ARIS is actively used in surveillance and decision-making processes.

According to her, poor-quality data compromises disease analysis and weakens interventions aimed at controlling outbreaks affecting livestock production.

“If there is one message we must take away from this week, it is this: data only has value if it is of good quality, and if it is used,” she noted.

Dr Salih warned that incomplete and inconsistent information reduces confidence in animal health systems and affects resource allocation and policy planning.

She further challenged participants to become champions of data quality within their institutions and support other users in strengthening national information systems.

The workshop received support from the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the World Organisation for Animal Health.

AU-IBAR said follow-up activities will continue to support countries in improving livestock data systems and enhancing preparedness against transboundary animal diseases across the continent.