Data sources on animal diseases: Country Card of Albania

Abstract

Mapping the ‘datasources’ on animal diseases,in each European Union (EU) Member State and, since 2020, in Pre-accession countries,is one of the activities of EFSA's SIGMA11 EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 2018. SIGMA – A comprehensive animal disease data collection approach. EFSA Supporting publication 2018:EN-1428. 7pp. Available online: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/pub/en-1428, 22 EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), Zancanaro G, Antoniou SE, Bedriova M, Boelaert F, Gonzales Rojas J, Monguidi M, Roberts H, Saxmose Nielsen S and Thulke H-H, 2019. Scientific report on the SIGMA Animal Disease Data Model: A comprehensive approach for the collection of standardised data on animal diseases. EFSA Journal 2019;17(1):5556, 60 pp. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5556, 33 https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/data-collection-animal-diseases project. The aim of this activity is to identify the central competent authorities responsible for managing the data on animal diseases and animal populations in these countries. At present, EFSA is focusing on three diseases that are currently under assessment at the request of the European Commission: African swine fever, avian influenza and lumpy skin disease; and on the corresponding affected animal populations: swine, poultry and bovines, respectively. This technical report presents the results of the implementation of the above activity for Albania and provides information on the authorities which constitute the data sources on animal diseases within the country. It also includes the ‘Country Card’, that depicts the central competent authorities responsible for the data on animal diseases (data on outbreaks, surveillance activities and laboratory results) and on animal populations (bovines, swine, poultry) in Albania. It has been generated based on the replies submitted by Albaniavia the EUSurvey questionnaire and on the clarifications provided subsequently. The Sector of Epidemiology, Identification and Registration of Animals; the Regional Veterinary Service; and the Institute of Food Safety and Veterinary within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development are the central sources of data related to animal diseases and to animal populations in Albania. Within this authority, different divisions and departments are involved with different types of data.