International Atomic Energy Agency supports veterinary diagnostic capacity in Mauritius

The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell, received International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert Dr Carla De Rueva, yesterday at his office in Port Louis, to review progress under the national project for the procurement and implementation of a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) apparatus.

Following the meeting, Minister Boolell welcomed the continued collaboration between Mauritius and the IAEA and expressed appreciation for the Agency's sustained support. He noted that Dr De Rueva's mission includes providing technical guidance and training to veterinary professionals in laboratory testing and diagnostic analysis, thereby further strengthening the country's veterinary diagnostic capacity.

Dr De Rueva reaffirmed the IAEA's commitment to supporting Mauritius in enhancing animal health. She explained that her mission is to assess progress achieved over the past three years under IAEA-supported projects, including the effective use of equipment and technical assistance to strengthen animal disease diagnosis and molecular testing.

The IAEA expert highlighted the significant progress made in upgrading laboratory infrastructure, introducing advanced diagnostic technologies and enhancing molecular diagnostic capabilities. She also commended the Division of Veterinary Services (DVS) for strengthening its capacity to detect bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance.

IAEA-funded initiatives

Over the past three years, the DVS has benefited from several IAEA-funded projects, namely RAF5082, RAF5089 and ZODIAC INT5051. These initiatives have focused on enhancing laboratory biosafety and biosecurity, strengthening early disease detection systems and improving national preparedness for animal disease surveillance.

The support has enabled the DVS to establish a Molecular Diagnostic Unit at the National Veterinary Laboratory. In addition, six Veterinary Officers and one Agricultural Engineer received specialised hands-on training in advanced laboratory diagnostic techniques.

The IAEA also provided laboratory equipment valued at approximately Rs 19 million, including real-time polymerase chain reaction systems, ELISA equipment, biosafety cabinets, incubators, freezers, laboratory kits and reagents.

09 July 2026

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