The Livestock Health Extension Services Project (LHESP) and the Veterinary Bureau of the Xinjiang provincial Animal Husbandry Bureau (AHB) provided a three-day training for minority technicians from Xinjiang prefectures and districts. There were 25 participants including 20 minority persons and 15 female.

Mr.Fang Guangxin, leader of the project management office (PMO); Mrs Tang Lingzhi LHESP officer from the PMO, Mr. Wang Xiaoming director of the veterinary medicine section of provincial veterinary bureau and Mr. Javier Burchard, Canadian LHESP manager, addreses the participants during the opening ceremony. Mr. Wang reminded the participants about expectations and requirement related to the activety and their daily work, pointing out that “under the current adverse situation, there is an urgent need to strengthen the capacity to maintain the dignity of livestock producers and animal health workers while fulfilling our social responsibility.”

The training started with an overview of the general situation and the interpretation of the program related to the prevention and control of zoonoses given by Mr. Wang Jincheng, scientist from the veterinary research institution of the Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science. Mr. Wang made extensive presentations about typical cases of bird flu, tuberculosis and brucellosis. The theoretical part of the training was followed by a one-day laboratory diagnosis training. This training was provided by the microbiology laboratory of Xinjiang Agriculture University. To enhance the efficiency of the training and the future work of the participants the trainees were provided with digital version of the training material in Chinese, Uyghur and Kazakh.

Through the training, trainees obtained a better understanding about the zoonosis situation in Xinjinag, a better proficiency about the zoonosis prevention and control programs; and enhanced capacity to diagnose zoonoses using appropriate laboratory techniques. Therefore, this activity promoted zoonosis prevention and control in remote area of Xinjiang, which is compatible with the Chinese government efforts to decrease the prevalence of epidemic diseases and zoonoses.
 

Opening ceremony	In-class presentation and communication	Laboratory diagnostic techniques training

Animal health professionals acquiring new laboratory skills	Animal health professionals acquiring new laboratory skills