OIE/NACA Regional Workshop on Aquatic Animal Health
(Bangkok, Thailand, 25-28 March 2008)
The Workshop was attended by 19 participants from OIE Members which are participating in the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease (QAAD) reporting system in Asia and the Pacific region; namely Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, P.R. China, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam. Three observers from P.R. China, Indonesia and Malaysia also attended the Workshop. The participants were the OIE focal points for aquatic animal health nominated by OIE Delelates or the NACA National Coordinators who have engaged in QAAD reporting.
The purpose of the Workshop was (a) to recognise the importance of negative impacts of aquatic animal diseases, the need for their control and prevention, and the responsibilities of government authorities in this context; (b) to provide updated information on emerging aquatic animal diseases in the Region; (c) to train National Focal Points on OIE aquatic animal health standards (Aquatic Animal Health Code and Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals) and on the OIE World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) (using computers) for the purpose of (a) above; and (d) strengthen regional collaboration on aquatic animal disease control and prevention.
Welcome addresses were made by Dr Teruhide Fujita, Regional Representative, OIE Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific, Tokyo and Dr Sena DeSilva, Director General of NACA Secretariat. After those welcome addresses, opening addresses were made by Dr Sakchai Sriboonsue, Chief Veterinary Officer, Director General of the Department of Livestock Development of Thailand and Dr Supuranee Chinabut, on behalf of the Director General of the Department of Fisheries of Thailand.
Lectures were made on ‘Economic impact of aquatic animal diseases’ (by Dr Simon Funge-Smith of FAO-RAP, ‘Important crustacean diseases in Asia-Pacific’ (by Prof. Timoghy Flegel of Mahidol University), ‘Important finfish diseases in Asia-Paicific’ (by Dr Supranee Chinabut of the Department of Fisheries of Thailand), ‘Active surveillance of viral diseases in fish and shrimps in some Asian countries’ (by Dr Gilda Lio-Po of SEAFDEC AQD ). From OIE, Dr Eva-Maria Bernoth, President of the Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission of the OIE, introduced the OIE standards for aquatic animal health and explained how to use the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Standards within the WTO-SPS Agreement framework and the OIE standards setting process. Dr Karim Ben Jebara, Head of the Animal Health Information Department of the OIE, generally explained about WAHIS and WAHID.
Each country/territory made a presentation on (i) the current situation on aquatic animal health in the country, (ii) constraints against aquatic animal disease control and needs of international/regional collaboration, and (iii) national mechanisms of aquatic animal disease surveillance and reporting.
The training sessions on immediate notification, follow-up reports, six-monthly reports and annual reports were led by Drs Karim Ben Jebara, Daniel Chaisemartin and Christina Ramirez from OIE Central Bureau, using the computer facilities of the Faculty of Fisheries of the Kasetsart University.
WAHIS web application was presented and participants practiced it on the immediate notification, follow-up reports, six-monthly reports and annual reports.