Workshop for OIE National Focal Points for WAHIS II
(Beijing, 12-14 April 2011)
The Workshop was hosted by the Veterinary Bureau (VB) of Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) of P.R. China, and co-funded by the European Union through the Highly pathogenic and emerging and re-emerging diseases (HPED) programme. It targeted the Focal Points for Animal Disease Notification nominated by the OIE Delegates in the Region.
The objectives of the Workshop are; to provide information on the role and responsibilities as national focal points for Animal Disease Notification to the OIE by supporting OIE Delegates to comply with OIE standards, and to train focal points and government officials engaged in animal information systems of OIE member countries in Asia and the Pacific Region.
A total of 87 persons attended the workshop; fourteen Focal points from Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, P.R. China, Chinese Taipei, Fiji, Japan, R.O. Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam; one OIE Delegate from Timor-Leste; fourteen other nominated personnel from Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Thailand; eight observers from P.R. China; one observer from each of Brunei, Singapore and Pacific Community (Secretariat of Pacific Community: SPC) and 31 staff observers from the Provincial Government of P.R. China.
Welcome remarks were made by Dr K. Ben Jebara, Head, Animal Health Information Department, OIE Headquarters in Paris, Dr I.Shimohira, Regional Representative, OIE Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific, Tokyo and Dr Zhang Zhongqiu, Director General of VB.
After the Opening session, General Information on the OIE and its activities, including the right and responsibility of the OIE Delegate and Focal Point were presented by Dr I.Shimohira and K.Sakurai. OIE speakers from the HQ (Drs K. Ben Jebara, L. Weber Vinzel and Dr Aziza Yassin Mustafa) also provided the participants with introduction of updated information of the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS).
Before the training section, an update on disease reporting and use of WAHIS in Asia and Pacific has been demonstrated by showing the number of reports provided by the region, including in terrestrial and aquatic animals and the provision of wildlife diseases questionnaires. Members that have not yet provided their reports have been sensitized to provide their missing reports as soon as possible.
In the hands-on training sessions for WAHIS, web application and example were presented and the participants practiced it by using the WAHIS development system on the General Parameters component, immediate notification, follow-up reports, six-monthly reports and annual reports components respectively. The workshop defined a course of action to collect and process high quality data in WAHIS database and reminded the main OIE definitions in order to have the same understanding of the requested information by all WAHIS users.
During the training session, the participants shared experiences and discussed the constraints in collecting data at the national level, including for wild animals and aquatic animals, and on the use of WAHIS.
The answer for the highlight from the several focal points to avoid double processing of data in their national databases and in WAHIS was that the new version of WAHIS will be available soon and will have an upload function from their national databases for the follow-up reports and the six-monthly reports directly into WAHIS.
The Workshop was successfully completed with provision of information from OIE and with active discussions between participants and the OIE. Moreover, the participants could review their services in the context of the main functions of the OIE and consulted face to face with the partners.