Over the two days, participants worked on issues that communities encounter directly at the local level: the proper use of antibiotics in backyard farms, common mistakes in animal treatment, compliance with veterinary and sanitary requirements, and the risks associated with the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Particular attention was paid to communication with local residents. Participants worked through practical cases, learned how to address common myths about antibiotics, and received tools they can use in further awareness-raising and outreach activities in their communities.
The training sessions in Vinnytsia marked the final stage of a large-scale educational programme that covered different levels of the system — representatives of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, livestock producers, veterinary professionals and territorial communities. This approach made it possible to address AMR comprehensively — from state control and farm operations to the responsible use of antibiotics in households.
The series of training sessions aimed not only to increase participants’ awareness, but also to develop practical skills needed to promote a culture of responsible antimicrobial use and preserve the effectiveness of these medicines.
The training was organised within the framework of 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 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 accordance 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.