The National Service of Agri-Food Health and Quality (Senasa), will have a space at the headquarters of the Ministry of Production, Science and Technology of the province of Santa Fe for the development of tasks of its Regional Laboratory for the analysis of samples for the determination of avian influenza, according to a press release from the government organisation.

To do this, the organization and the province signed an agreement by which, in addition, Santa Fe gives it a PCR team that will be used by the Senasa Regional Laboratory to treat avian influenza samples, adding its work to that of the National Laboratory - so far the only one authorized for this type of diagnosis - which facilitates this work for the provinces of the central region of the country.

"We work together with Senasa and the Province of Santa Fe on a plan for the decentralization of epidemiological analyses that allows speed in obtaining the results and, at the same time, provide greater proximity to the producers," said Juan José Bahillo, Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Nation.

"For years we have been working together with the Ministry of Production of Santa Fe in the prevention of different types of diseases such as brucellosis, tuberculosis and equine infectious anemia," added Rodolfo Acerbi, vice president of Senasa. "The Province thought about the possibility of a new laboratory for avian influenza analysis and we worked together to make it happen. Santa Fe provided a PCR team, the Senasa put equipment, and trained the technicians itself and those of the Province, and the Laboratory is already underway in facilities of the Ministry of Production of Santa Fe."

"Avian influenza is a disease that spreads very quickly, so early detection and early care is essential," he added.

Meanwhile, the general director of Laboratory and Technical Control of Senasa, Ana Nicola, said: "We came to transfer the procedure based on quality standards that we use in the National Laboratory to replicate and reproduce the same methodology here in the Regional Laboratory of Santa Fe. We have already started the test procedure and the equipment is ready to analyze samples and provide diagnoses on avian influenza for the entire province and the region."