RITM, through its Veterinary Research Department conducted the first Rabies Conferenceon March 18, 2019 at the RITM Auditorium and a week-long Rabies Laboratory Diagnostic Workshop on March 19-22, 2019 at the RITM Training Center.

The conference served as an avenue to disseminate various significant research findings and updates on ongoing RITM researchers and joint surveillance projects with private and government institutions. A total number of 82 researchers, health professionals, veterinarians and laboratory staff involved in rabies research, surveillance and prevention and control programs, participated in the conference. 

“This conference is part of our commitment to the achievement of the global goal of rabies elimination or the Zero by 2030. Aside from sharing the results of various RITM researches on rabies, the goal of the conference is to enhance the technical knowledge and raise the awareness of the participants on the new techniques in the laboratory diagnosis of rabies,” says Dr. Daria Manalo, Chair of the conference organizing committee. 

“We are vying for the accreditation as an OIE Reference Laboratory and conducting this conference is also towards that goal,” Dr. Manalo adds on the significance of conducting the conference. The World Organisation for Animal Health or OIE is the intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health worldwide. RITM has been in the forefront of rabies research both in humans and animals and have established partnerships with institutions worldwide on rabies research over the last 20 years. 

Meanwhile, the laboratory workshop aims to help the participants come up with a standard operating procedure on Direct Fluorescent Antigen Test (DFAT) rabies diagnosis for their respective laboratories. “We conducted a series of laboratory assessment on various regional laboratories and one of our major findings is that most of them don’t have an SOP. We hope to help them address that through this workshop, with the help of our Quality Assurance Office,” says Dr. Manalo on the goals of the laboratory workshop. 

A total number of 41 veterinarians and medical technologists from various regions participated in the laboratory workshop.

by Reina Manongsong, Communication and Engagement Office