26th Conference of the OIE Regional Commission for Asia

PSVS
287. The highlights of activities of OIE/AusAID PSVS during this year were, holding of the 4th
Steering Group meeting, organizing of the 1st Sub-Regional Workshop on Animal Health
Communication, 2nd Regional Workshop on Veterinary Legislation and Governance, 2nd
Regional Workshop on Emergency Preparedness and Response, co-organized with FAO the
sub-regional Workshop to Strengthen Laboratory Network for South East Asia, participation
in the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Gap analysis training at OIE headquarters
in Paris and the evaluation of Veterinary Services in the Philippines using the PVS Tool.
288. A new Program Coordinator , Dr John Stratton, was hired in April 2009 to manage the
project until it finishes next year.
289. One of the major highlight this year is the evaluation of the project by an Independent Project
Review (IPR) team contracted by AusAID. Among those that was closely examined was the
project goals and its component objectives. This project is aimed at helping countries in
Southeast Asia to initially improve their current capacities in terms of veterinary legislation,
emergency preparedness and risk communication. The project also aims to bring the VS into
line with OIE international standards in terms of governance, organisation and programmes
including active partnerships with the private sector as well as providing technical support
for evaluation of the VS, primarily based on the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and the
PVS Tool.
290. Among the findings of the IPR team is the unique features of PSVS which has been the focus
on systems development compared to the more typical donor engagement in technical issues
and capacity building in technical areas. PSVS, through its work on improving the legislative
environment for improved animal health systems, has either stimulated some early activity
in legislation, or has been a catalyst for increasing momentum in countries where some
preliminary work had begun.
291. The key recommendation of the IPR Team is to refocus the PSVS on enabling national
governments to attract resources from industry, government, and donors to support and
implement a coherent, costed, national plan to improve veterinary services. The aim of the
project at the national level then becomes to increase the uptake of the PVS tool, and
motivate engagement of a wide range of stakeholders in the development of this plan.
292. The draft Conclusions and Recommendations of the Cambodia meeting on Communication
was endorsed by the Regional Commission.
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Technical Item II
The development of disease-free zones for equine diseases,
including the example of China
293. Dr Gardner Murray started his presentation by referring to the OIE official freedom
recognition procedures for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Contagious Bovine
Pleuropneumonia, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Rinderpest.
294. He explained that for all other diseases freedom is based on self-declaration if the country
can provide sufficient evidence as provided in the relevant Code Chapter to substantiate its
claims.
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