70 SG/11A

RECOMMENDATIONS
OF
CONFERENCES OF OIE REGIONAL COMMISSIONS
ORGANISED SINCE 1st JUNE 2001

6th Conference
of the
OlE Regional Commission for the Middle East
Jounieh (Lebanon), 24-27 September 2001

Recommendation No. 1:	Restructuring of Veterinary Services through consolidation of private veterinary practice and introduction of new approaches for integration of target groups in the Middle East

Recommendation No. 2:	Public and animal health importance of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and other tick-transmitted diseases of animals in the Middle East

Recommendation No. 3:	OIE categorisation of animal diseases

Recommendation No. 4:	Use of Arabic in the OIE

Recommendation No. 5: 	New actions to be undertaken within the framework of the OIE Regional Commission and Representation for the Middle East

6th Conference 
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East
Jounieh (Lebanon), 24-27 September 2001
___________

Recommendation No. 1

Restructuring of Veterinary Services through consolidation of private veterinary practice 
and introduction of new approaches for integration of target groups in the Middle East

CONSIDERING THAT

The OIE's main objective is to facilitate international trade in animals and their products through detailed definition of the minimum health guarantees in the form of health certificates issued by the authorised official veterinary officer in the exporting country,

Strengthening Veterinary Services is a key element in the implementation of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), as well as protection of public health against zoonoses and food-borne diseases,

One of the key principles in the strengthening of Veterinary Services is to establish infrastructures for applying measures to ensure the reliability of information on which risk assessment is based,

Pastoral areas are usually characterised by their large size, harsh climate, poor infrastructure, low staffing percentage in relation to the number of livestock in the area, and mobile human population, all of which act as constraints to conventional fixed-point veterinary service delivery,

Privatisation is a necessity requiring a long process that must be done step by step in close cooperation with all stakeholders, namely, private veterinarians, farmers and CBAHWs, 

Public Veterinary Services must provide incentives for all stakeholders, define their responsibilities, and supervise their effective and efficient transposition of responsibilities to the private sector,

Private veterinarians can play a useful role in disease control and could be considered as the most appropriate models for delivery of veterinary services in remote areas,

Responsibilities such as imports control, disease surveillance, and control of notifiable diseases and protection of public health must remain with the public veterinary sector,

Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) are known to actively contribute to the promotion of veterinary services in pastoral areas and to assist in the control of notifiable infectious diseases, such as rinderpest, foot and mouth disease, etc., and to act as a focal point for animal disease and production in the community,

Import/export certification of animals and animal products must remain with the State Veterinary Services,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	Member Countries be encouraged to exchange experiences on the best ways and means of adopting the CAHW approach as the most appropriate means of delivering certain veterinary services, particularly in remote and pastoral areas.

2.	National Veterinary Services in Member Countries be encouraged to restructure, redesign and modify their policies to accommodate private veterinary services and the concept of CAHWs, with the objective of strengthening veterinary services and reinforcing surveillance of animal diseases and protection of public health against zoonoses and food-borne diseases. 

3.	Member Countries exert further efforts to legislate, harmonise and standardise the process of introducing CAHWs and the privatisation of veterinary services under close supervision of the official Veterinary Services.

4.	Public veterinary services facilitate a bigger role for private veterinary services and, if necessary, CAHWs in the provision of veterinary services, especially in remote areas where conventional veterinary services are lacking.

5.	The OIE in cooperation and collaboration with regional and international organisations facilitate an in-depth study and conduction of research on CAHWs, particularly in countries with previous experience, to promote, standardise and harmonise this model and adopt it in Member Countries based on their conditions.

6.	Donor countries and organisations facilitate the provision of credits for community participation and private veterinary service practice under the supervision of the official Veterinary Services.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East on 27 September 2001)

6th Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East
Jounieh (Lebanon), 24-27 September 2001
___________

Recommendation No. 2

Public and animal health importance of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever 
and other tick-transmitted diseases of animals in the Middle East

CONSIDERING 

That Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a disease of humans and a wide variety of animals,

That the geographical distribution of the causative virus, like that of its tick vector, is widespread,

The zoonotic importance of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and other tick-transmitted diseases,

That CCHF, as well as other viral haemorrhagic fevers are re-emerging in different regions world-wide,

That tick-transmitted diseases are endemic in many countries in the Middle East region as well as world-wide,

That the public and animal health importance of CCHF and other tick-transmitted diseases has been increasing in recent years,

The adverse effects of tick-transmitted diseases on livestock production and trade in animals and animal products,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	The OIE study the timeliness of including Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever as an OIE notifiable disease.

2.	A chapter on Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever be included in the OIE International Animal Health Code, once the disease has been added to the OIE notifiable disease list.

3.	A regional network for the surveillance and identification of tick-transmitted diseases be established.

4.	Regional co-operation in the field of research on tick-transmitted diseases be enhanced, in cooperation with the public health authorities and relevant organisations.

5.	As a practical target for the control of tick-transmitted diseases, the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East encourage its Member Countries to establish tick-controlled zones within their programmes.

6.	The OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East encourage its Member Countries to strengthen intersectoral collaboration in tick control programmes.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East on 27 September 2001)

6th Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East
Jounieh (Lebanon), 24-27 September 2001
__________________

Recommendation No. 3

OIE Categorisation of Animal Diseases

CONSIDERING

That one of the main objectives of the OIE is to collect and disseminate information on the occurrence of animal diseases world-wide, including aquatic animal diseases, and the means of controlling them,

The need to concentrate on the importance of the speed of spread of a disease and link this to the reporting procedures,

The need to take into account the growing importance of the potential zoonotic consequences of many animal diseases,

That the current OIE categorisation of animal diseases, including aquatic animal diseases, should be more flexible and facilitate the inclusion of new emerging animal diseases of significant epidemiological importance,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	As a long-term objective based on a review to be carried out by a suitable panel of experts representing the OIE Regional Commissions, the OIE envisage revising the current system for categorising animal diseases, including aquatic animal diseases, into one list but with two new categories as follows:

-	animal diseases that require immediate notification (within 24 hours) due to their potential for rapid spread;
-	animal diseases of periodic notification (at least annually or more often if necessary).

2.	The OIE, in the shorter term, add this new classification to the International Animal Health Code and International Aquatic Animal Health Code, based on the two new categories indicated in 1 above.

3.	The OIE raise the awareness of its Member Countries on the fundamental purpose of the listing of animal diseases based on notification obligations, which is to provide rapid and quality information.

4.	Member Countries notify the first outbreak of a listed disease or a new emerging disease in a country or part of a country previously free from that disease (in the context of regionalisation for a particular disease), within 24 hours.

5.	The OIE continue to develop and strengthen its disease databases and provide its Member Countries with access to these to enable them to obtain up-to-date and quality information on animal health status world-wide.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East on 27 September 2001)

6th Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East
Jounieh (Lebanon), 24-27 September 2001
___________

Recommendation No. 4

Use of Arabic in the OIE

CONSIDERING 

The necessity to inform a large public of decision-makers and users in the region of the standards adopted by the International Committee of the OIE,

The large number of international organisations and countries in the region and bordering regions using Arabic,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	The work undertaken to translate the OIE International Animal Health Code into Arabic be rapidly finalised.

2.	Simultaneous translation of deliberations of the OIE International Committee into Arabic be perpetuated.

3.	The countries wishing to apply the provisions mentioned above have access to an already existing special account for this purpose at the OIE Central Bureau, which is supplied with funds by numerous Member Countries of the region, but whose number is still insufficient to attain the objectives foreseen.

4.	These countries be urged to contribute 2,000 Euros per year for this purpose.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East on 27 September 2001)

6th Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East
Jounieh (Lebanon), 24-27 September 2001
___________

Recommendation No. 5

New actions to be undertaken within the framework of the 
OIE Regional Commission and Representation for the Middle East

CONSIDERING 

The increase in health risks related to the growth in international trade in animals and animal products,

That many countries of the region do not have the necessary means to deal with emergency situations in case of disease emergencies,

The insufficient implementation in the region of the directives of the OIE International Animal Health Code and the risk analysis methods and the preparation of international veterinary certificate models that can serve to guarantee a satisfactory level of protection of public and animal health,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	Member Countries of the region have agreed on the establishment of a Regional Emergency Veterinary Committee (REVC), supported by the OIE Regional Commission and Representation, as well as by Regional and International Organisations, which will provide technical support to their Veterinary Services in case of the occurrence of an infectious disease that could be a direct threat to animal and public health. 

2.	The terms of reference of the Committee will be the following:

-	The REVC will be composed of five persons and will include the Chairman (or Vice-Chairman) of the OIE Regional Commission and four elected persons from the Delegates of the Member Countries. The Coordinator of the Regional Representation will act as secretary of this Committee; the chairperson will be elected by the Committee. 

-	This Committee will act rapidly to ensure good control of the situation and develop pertinent and harmonised recommendations for the prevention, control and eradication of the disease.

-	The REVC will meet at least twice a year and any other time when necessary because of a serious disease outbreak.

-	The REVC may invite the Delegates of countries involved in an emergency sanitary event and/or Delegates of neighbouring countries, and the relevant experts to present reports on the situation and propose actions in terms of investigation, trade restrictions and control/combating measures.

-	The REVC issue recommendations to be applied by the Member Countries concerned and/or all the countries of the region.

-	Only in the case of compliance of the recommendations of the Committee, the principle of regionalisation be taken into consideration.

-	The REVC study and propose, whenever necessary, amendments to the international veterinary certificates applied within the Middle East region and between the region and other OIE regions.

3.	The Member Countries of the region engage in an auto-evaluation of their Veterinary Services and develop them in such a manner as to enable them to carry out the tasks assigned to them by their Governments to comply with the standards and recommendations of the OIE.

4.	Member Countries of the region that are not yet members of the World Trade Organization, be encouraged to join this organization.

5.	Member Countries of the region strengthen their exchange of animal health information and in this context improve the use of the information network established within the framework of the OIE, in particular by carrying out rapid animal disease notification, in accordance with the requirements of the International Animal Health Code.

6.	Member Countries and international organisations support and assist countries in the region (including the Palestine territories) that face a lack of facilities and means in their Veterinary Services, in order to develop better surveillance and control of animal diseases.

7.	The OIE and other organisations involved be requested to conduct and facilitate joint meetings and conferences between importing and exporting countries as well as scientific experts, and to undertake surveillance and research on emerging diseases, especially Rift Valley fever and its vectors, in order to assist in controlling the disease and limit its impact on regional trade in animals and animal products.

8.	The OIE update the chapter on Rift Valley fever in the Code.

9.	Member Countries initiate discussions under the auspices of the OIE Regional Commission and Representation, to propose the establishment and development of a system of veterinary research and diagnostic laboratories to form part of the world network of OIE Reference Laboratories, with a view to better implicate the countries of the region and their scientific communities in the setting up of international standards, and to conduct programmes related to specific problems in the region (for example, camel diseases).

10.	The Regional Commission urge governments of Member Countries to provide financial and moral support to the OIE Regional Commission and Representation for the Middle East, in order to adopt the necessary measures for controlling animal diseases in the region.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East on 27 September 2001)

22nd Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania
Kathmandu (Nepal), 27-30 November 2001

Recommendation No. 1:	Arboviruses of veterinary significance

Recommendation No. 2:	New strains of FMD in the region: surveillance, control, eradication and prevention

Recommendation No. 3:	OIE categorisation of animal diseases

Recommendation No. 4:	Sustainability of the SEAFMD programme 

22nd Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania
Kathmandu (Nepal), 27-30 November 2001
___________

Recommendation No. 1

Arboviruses of veterinary significance 

CONSIDERING THAT

Arboviruses are prominent among the emerging infectious disease agents globally,

There is an increasing threat of arboviral diseases to human and animal health in the region,

Arboviruses have a significant impact on trade,

Arboviral diseases are under reported in most of the Member Countries,

Collaboration for the development of common approaches for arboviral disease surveillance and laboratory diagnosis is needed for the Member Countries of the region,

THE OIE COMMISSION FOR ASIA, THE FAR EAST AND OCEANIA
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	Member Countries note the pattern of world-wide expansion in the distribution of significant arboviral diseases, such as bluetongue, Rift Valley fever, West Nile and Japanese encephalitis.

2.	Member Countries adopt the principle that preparedness for emerging arboviral disease threats includes: 

-	a surveillance capability and a strategy to apply that capability. Surveillance may include one or more of: monitoring for changing disease patterns, monitoring vector populations or sampling of animals for laboratory tests,
-	a capability for laboratory diagnosis of arboviruses for surveillance activities and diagnosis, 
-	a plan and a corresponding capability for an appropriate method and level of response. In the case of zoonotic diseases, this should involve close consultation with public health authorities.

3.	Where laboratories in Member Countries support a laboratory test, they maintain it under a quality assurance programme and identify other laboratories with a similar capability to investigate the possibility of sharing of samples as a means of external proficiency testing.

4.	Member Countries collaborate to develop regionally co-ordinated networks to monitor trends in the spatial and temporal occurrence of arboviruses and their vectors using GIS technology. In doing this, the OIE should provide leadership and seek the support of other international agencies and donors. 

5.	Member Countries note that the OIE International Animal Health Code chapter on zoning/regionalisation has been recently revised and would be relevant to arboviral diseases, and support the need for further work to complement the work being carried out on compartmentalisation. 

6.	The OIE consider including West Nile disease in the list of notifiable diseases.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania on 30 November 2001)

22nd Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania
Kathmandu (Nepal), 27-30 November 2001

___________

Recommendation No. 2

New strains of FMD in the region: surveillance, control, eradication and prevention

CONSIDERING THAT

Trade in animals and products of animal origin is important to stimulate economic growth and human well-being in the region,

Formal and informal trade in agricultural products, and in particular animals and products of animal origin, is increasing due to greater economic interdependence,

FMD is disseminated in the region mostly by informal trade in animals and products of animal origin,

A number of new strains of FMD have emerged in the Asian region in recent years, and have spread widely both within and beyond the region,

The OIE SEAFMD programme has been established to promote the progressive control and elimination of FMD in South-East Asia,

Serotype C virus has not been detected recently in the region,

New ELISA tests based on non structural proteins of FMD virus shows potential for use in FMD surveillance programmes,

THE OIE COMMISSION FOR ASIA, THE FAR EAST AND OCEANIA
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	The OIE continues to promote standards and harmonised guidelines for FMD surveillance and epidemiological investigations in the region.

2.	The OIE Member Countries increase efforts to conduct FMD surveillance and timely epidemiological investigations of FMD outbreaks using the harmonised guidelines promoted by the OIE.

3.	Member Countries submit regularly to the OIE/Regional Reference Laboratories sufficient FMD samples to effectively monitor circulating virus strains. Reference Laboratories should communicate their findings to the World Reference Laboratories for FMD in particular at Pirbright, United Kingdom.

4.	Member Countries develop bilateral and/or multi-lateral agreements and procedures as appropriate to reduce the risk of dissemination of FMD by the movement of animals and products of animal origin across international borders.

5.	The use of modified live virus and formalin inactivated vaccines against FMD be discontinued.

6.	The OIE and the FAO collaborate, in particular within the next International Meeting with donors in 2002, to establish programmes that:
-	ensure control of FMD in at least all the infected countries of the whole region, including countries that are members of SAARC;
-	ensure full sustainability of SEAFMD current programme;
-	support a risk assessment concerning the relevance of including serotype C in FMD vaccines for routine use.

7.	The OIE gives, as quickly as possible, an opinion to Member Countries concerning the new ELISA tests based on non structural proteins of FMD virus.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania on 30 November 2001)

22nd Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania
Kathmandu (Nepal), 27-30 November 2001
___________

Recommendation No. 3

OIE categorisation of animal diseases

CONSIDERING

That one of the main objectives of the OIE is ‘to inform Governments of the occurrence of animal diseases, changes in their distribution world-wide and means of controlling them’,

That the current OIE categorisation of animal diseases into Lists A and B has not been reviewed recently and therefore shows certain inconsistencies,

That the current OIE categorisation of animal diseases should be more flexible and facilitate the inclusion of new emerging animal diseases of significant epidemiological importance,

The need to take into account the growing importance of the potential zoonotic consequences of many animal diseases and the need for consistency of approach in the long term with the International Aquatic Animal Health Code and the interface with wildlife diseases,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA, THE FAR EAST AND OCEANIA
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	The OIE change the current categorisation of animal diseases from Lists A and B to a classification of significant animal diseases with two new categories based on the epidemiological characteristics of a particular animal disease as follows:

a)	animal diseases of immediate notification (within 24 hours) due to their rapid spread (high epidemiological significance);
b)	animal diseases of periodic notification (on a monthly basis and, where appropriate, at least annually), based on lesser epidemiological significance.

2.	The inclusion of any animal disease in a particular category shall be based on the aetiological and epidemiological characteristics of the disease and its potential for dangerous, rapid and widespread dissemination (directly or through vectors). The zoonotic potential of the disease should also be taken into account.

3.	The OIE, as a scientific reference body, categorise significant animal diseases using the criteria detailed in point 1 above and promote awareness among OIE Member Countries of this approach and its principal purpose, which is to promote the dissemination of timely and quality information for the purposes of safe trade between countries and disease control strategies within countries.

4.	This recommendation be examined by the Administrative Commission of the OIE in order to determine the most appropriate manner to effect the necessary change.

5.	The OIE continue to develop and strengthen its disease databases and provide Member Countries with access to these to enable them to obtain up-to-date and quality information on animal health status world-wide.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania on 30 November 2001)

22nd Conference
of the
OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania
Kathmandu (Nepal), 27-30 November 2001
___________

Recommendation No. 4

Sustainability of the SEAFMD programme 

CONSIDERING

The recommendations of the Seventh Meeting of the OIE Sub-Commission for Foot and Mouth Disease in South-East Asia (Yangon, Myanmar, 26 February - 3 March 2001) that :

-	There have been significant achievements in the SEAFMD programme,
-	The SEAFMD programme will provide a model for other regional disease control programmes, 
-	The SEAFMD programme needs additional resources to develop these activities,
-	The ASEAN countries will assume full responsibility for SEAFMD in 2004,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA, THE FAR EAST AND OCEANIA
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	Each Member Country of the SEAFMD Sub-Commission be encouraged to contribute to the sustainability of the SEAFMD programme by taking an official decision for a national financial contribution to the programme.

2.	At a first stage, the OIE establish a mechanism whereby SEAFMD Member Countries be requested to provide additional financial support to the SEAFMD programme, equivalent to 10 per cent of their respective OIE annual contributions.

3.	The Director General be responsible for the execution of the present recommendation, including its presentation to relevant Member Countries. 

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania on 30 November 2001)

16th Conference 
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Americas
Puerto Montt (Chile), 5-8 March 2002

Recommendation No. 1:	Wildlife as a risk factor in animal health and zoonoses

Recommendation No. 2:	The role of Veterinary Services in food health and safety

Recommendation No. 3:	Guide to models for organising Veterinary Services

Recommendation No. 4:	Working Group on Risk Analysis of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas

Recommendation No. 5: 	Application of the OIE Strategic Plan by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas

16th Conference 
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Americas
Puerto Montt (Chile), 5-8 March 2002

____________________

Recommendation No. 1

Wildlife as a risk factor in animal health and zoonoses

CONSIDERING THAT

Many infectious agents that cause disease in livestock, poultry or human beings also occur in selected species of wildlife, 

Certain infected wild animals can represent a true disease risk factor, or, they may harbour significant pathogens while posing little or no threat to domestic animals or human beings, 

Wild animals may be involved in the epidemiology of emerging animal and/or human diseases, such as West Nile fever,

Multiple agencies with different areas of expertise including animal health, human health and wildlife management are involved in assessment and reduction of risk associated with disease agents in wildlife,

Management of disease in wildlife may be attempted to minimise potential impacts on animal agriculture, public health and/or highly valued wildlife populations, 

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE AMERICAS 
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	The OIE continue to support the efforts of the Working Group in Wildlife Diseases (WGWD) to identify and report wildlife diseases of concern to Member Countries. 

2.	Member Countries respond to the Annual WGWD questionnaire regarding the occurrence of significant diseases in wildlife. 

3.	The OIE encourage World Reference Laboratories to support the development and validation of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests for disease agents in wildlife species and to foster research collaboration in this area. 

4.	The OIE continue to develop the concept of compartmentalisation in which the presence of certain significant disease agents in wildlife does not preclude disease-free status for the Member Country when there is thorough knowledge of the disease epidemiology and demonstration of the efficacy of risk reduction measures relating to the production sector. 

5.	Member Countries encourage cooperation between animal health, public health, wildlife management agencies and other organisations involved in monitoring and managing disease agents in wildlife, including zoonoses. 

6.	Member Countries coordinate vigilance for the detection of emerging disease agents, such as West Nile virus, and the distribution of information to reduce risks to animals and the public.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas on 8 March 2002)

16th Conference 
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Americas
Puerto Montt (Chile), 5-8 March 2002

____________________

Recommendation No. 2

The role of Veterinary Services in food health and safety

CONSIDERING THAT

Given the food chain, food safety is the shared responsibility of public and animal health organisations, such as the international reference bodies (OIE, Codex Alimentarius), 

Food safety is a global issue, 

Due to public health concerns, consumers are demanding safe food products, 

The Veterinary Services of countries need to confront the challenge of adopting a change in vision and function to improve the public health and to facilitate the trade in food products, and that this change must be expanded to the food continuum particularly focused on the early links,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE AMERICAS 
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	The Director General of the OIE continue with the collaborative work begun between the OIE and the Codex Alimentarius Commission to harmonise standards of mutual interest.

2.	The Director General of the OIE continue to implement its work plan as it pertains to food safety, in particular with the issues of animal feeds, registration of biological agents, and improvement in veterinary inspection at the farm level and at the food production and processing levels.

3.	A technical cooperative collaboration on food safety be established with international organisations, such as PAHO, FAO and the OIE Regional Commission and Representation for the Americas.

4.	The Veterinary Services include in their policies and programmes, actions aimed at strengthening their participation in the field of food health and safety to improve public health and facilitate trade in food products.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas on 8 March 2002)

16th Conference 
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Americas
Puerto Montt (Chile), 5-8 March 2002

____________________

Recommendation No. 3

Guide to models for organising Veterinary Services

CONSIDERING

That the Strategic Plan for the Americas states that one of the priority objectives for the Region is to strengthen the countries’ Veterinary Services,

The Regional Representation for the Americas, together with a technical team, has drafted a Guide to Systems for operating Veterinary Services, to facilitate their harmonisation, promote development and make more efficient use of resources, by means of progressive and flexible models that take the countries’ needs into account,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE AMERICAS 
RECOMMENDS

1.	That the countries of the Region should collaborate by actively participating in the development, application and improvement of the proposed Guide, designed to provide models for operating their Veterinary Services, on bases that facilitate the following aims by means of communication via the Regional Representation:

2.	To provide as much information as possible on setting up and organising Services and on the technical measures and regulations that the countries observe, by feeding information into the database, which the Representation will implement and disseminate through the Web page of the Americas Region. 

3.	To standardise as far as possible the rules, regulations and certification systems, in accordance with the International Animal Health Code, based on the entire food chain from the stable to the table.

4.	To guide and enhance the application of systems that promote the quality and guarantee the future of programmes and that implement methodologies for auditing and evaluating services.

5.	To establish management and operational mechanisms that facilitate the participation of the private sectors concerned to enable them to work actively in coordinating activities with the official sector at national and other administrative levels. 

6.	That through the Regional Representation, the OIE cooperate by helping to implement these aspects, whenever the countries so require, and by maintaining a periodic follow-up of this issue.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas on 8 March 2002)

16th Conference 
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Americas
Puerto Montt (Chile), 5-8 March 2002

____________________

Recommendation No. 4

Working Group on Risk Analysis of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas

CONSIDERING THAT

Risk analysis is a very useful tool for decision-making,

The OIE Regional Commission for the Americas set up a working group in 1999 with a mandate to provide the countries with support in strengthening their risk analysis capabilities,

The working group has made significant progress in the development of criteria, harmonisation of methods and the development of a training strategy targeted at various levels of the Veterinary Services,

The report presented by the group includes a list of topics to develop within a medium term work strategy, 

The OIE Regional Representation for the Americas, together with the OIE Collaborating Centre for Animal Disease Surveillance Systems and Risk Analysis, play an important role in the coordination of the group’s activities,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE AMERICAS 
RECOMMENDS THAT

1.	The Working Group on Risk Analysis of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas continue its function of assisting the countries of the region, under the coordination of the Regional Representation and the OIE Collaborating Centre for Animal Disease Surveillance Systems and Risk Analysis.

2.	The Working Group on Risk Analysis of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas maintain within its work strategy the development of methodological guidelines for the practical application of risk analysis and continue training targeted at different levels within the structure of the Veterinary Services.

3.	The recommendations and work of the group be disseminated through the Regional Representation and the Central Bureau to other regions of the OIE.

4.	Coordination with other working groups of the OIE be estabilished with the aim of completing and optimising the activities of the Central Bureau on this issue.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas on 8 March 2002)

16th Conference 
of the
OIE Regional Commission for the Americas
Puerto Montt (Chile), 5-8 March 2002

____________________

Recommendation No. 5

Application of the OIE Strategic Plan by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas

CONSIDERING 

The results of the analysis of a survey of countries of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas to define the present and future strategies of Veterinary Services of the Americas, in order to establish priority areas and objectives,

That from this survey the necessity emerges for increased participation on the part of the countries of the Region in the strategic planning process of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas,

THE OIE REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE AMERICAS 
RECOMMENDS 

1.	Updating the Strategic Plan for the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas, based on the points indicated in Appendix A of the survey mentioned in the first consideration above.

2.	That the Strategic Plan of the OIE Regional Commission for Americas include annual operating plans that specify commitments with regard to activities, indicators, aims, resources and time limits, as well as monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

3.	That Member Countries continue to develop strategic planning processes at a national level and commit themselves to transmitting these to the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas through the Regional Representation, in order that they can serve as a support to the Strategic Plan of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas, and that monitoring mechanisms of these processes are established.

4.	That the countries take into account the importance assigned to the coordination of research by the OIE Strategic Plan. 

5.	That Members be committed to more active participation in the OIE Strategic Plan for the Americas by establishing mechanisms to assure effective and ongoing contact with the Regional Representation.

6.	That the Regional Representation organise a working group that will meet on a regular basis and propose the orchestration of actions for adoption in the meeting of the Regional Commission in May 2003 in Paris.

(Adopted by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas on 8 March 2002)

Appendix A

to

Recommendation No. 5

Application of the OIE Strategic Plan by the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas

Summary of Objectives and Lines of Action of the OIE Strategic Plan for the Americas

The overall goal of the OIE Regional Commission of the Americas is to assist its Member Countries in coordinating OIE strategies to strengthen their national Veterinary Services, to exchange information and to develop and harmonise standards

Line of Action	Objectives	
Strengthening National Veterinary Services
	
Building a model	To have a shared model for national Veterinary Services in the Americas	
Evaluation and
Certification	To develop an approach to auto-evaluation, peer review, and/or certification for Veterinary Services in the Americas	
Information
	
Epidemiological
Surveillance Systems	To share practical methods of surveillance and monitoring adapted for use in the Americas	
Animal ID	To develop and share practical methods of animal ID and tracing 	
Risk Analysis	To strengthen Member Countries’ ability to conduct and to have access to risk analysis methodologies	
Standards
	
Veterinary
Pharmaceuticals
and Biologicals	To harmonize the control and registration of veterinary medicines	
Laboratory
Diagnostics	To create a network of diagnostic laboratories for the purpose of developing standards for quality control and equivalent procedures