The event brought together representatives of local government authorities, community heads, professionals from the social and education sectors, civil society organisations and other specialists who work directly with local residents.
During the training sessions, participants discussed the causes of antimicrobial resistance, current approaches to the responsible use of antibiotics in livestock production and the role of communities in providing animal owners with reliable information. Particular attention was devoted to risk communication, addressing common myths and applying practical tools for engaging with the public.
Participants also worked through real-life cases, practised response algorithms for common enquiries and discussed how to communicate information about the responsible use of antimicrobials effectively at the local level.
The training was conducted under the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project, funded by the U.S. Department of State, with the participation of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders.
The next training sessions for representatives of territorial communities will take place on 30–31 July in Chernivtsi and on 4–5 August in Uzhhorod. Participants will continue developing practical communication skills related to the responsible use of antibiotics and efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.
The EpiC project in Ukraine aims to strengthen the country’s public health, animal health and laboratory capacities by providing targeted technical assistance, building institutional capacity and improving coordination among national and regional public and animal health authorities in line with international standards and cross-sectoral principles.
The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders is a non-profit voluntary organisation established by domestic pork producers. Its main objectives are to represent and protect the rights and interests of its member farms, support the development and implementation of new technologies for efficient pork production, expand sales markets and protect the domestic market.