In an institution where training in veterinary education was inexistent, the Vice Rector for Research, Cooperation and Relations with the Business World, Guy Tsala Ndzomo could only be hopeful about the project. He explained that most institutions in Africa do not train in veterinary education and at a time when animal diseases are recurrent, the opening and setting up of a reference laboratory to control food safety in the University of Yaounde I is coming to rescue the sub-region from embarrassments. Stakeholders in the country have been trained and workshops have been organised to add to the agreement signed from production institutions in Italy to make sure that Cameroon and the CEMAC Sub-region reduce the risk of diseases caused by the consumption of foods of animal origin.
Guy Tsala Ndzomo said in view of the putting in place a Master’s programme in the University of Yaounde measures have taken for its programme schedule to be ready and validated on November 20, 2011 before the upcoming meeting at N’djamena by late this year or early 2012. “The laboratory is already ready,” he said, while adding that equipment have been set-up not leaving out specialists that will help ensure its effective functioning. It was however disclosed that before it is officially presented, partners and experts want to make sure that some test are being carried out. The laboratory, officials say, will serve as a training and research centre as well as for the control of quality of food in the sub-region.
The project is being supported in Cameroon by the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and animal Industry (MINEPIA) and the Animal Development, Production and Processing Company (SODEPA).
