Enhancing Veterinary Services: OIE's Global Strategy for Animal Welfare and Public Health

1. Dr. Bernard Vallat Director General of the OIE Keynote address Objectives and Expectations OIE Global Conference on Veterinary Legislation Djerba, Tunisia, 7 December 2010

2. Introduction Background, OIE 5th Strategic Plan and current initiatives Veterinary Legislation – a key element in the OIE PVS Pathway Objectives & expectations Contents

3. 5th OIE Strategic Plan (2011-2015) • Animal Health systems are a global public good • Global public goods are goods whose benefits extend to all countries, people and generations • One World-One Health (OWOH) • A global strategy for cooperation in managing risks at the animal-human interface • Relation between animal health, animal production and the environment • Need to gain a clearer understanding of the link between animalsand the environment.

4. 5th Strategic Plan: Key concepts • Food Security & Food Safety • Need for a global supply of safe food • Food security, including animal protein, is a key public healthconcern • Healthy animals ensure food security and food safety • Veterinary Services play a keyrole in protecting society • Animal welfare: a OIE strategic engagement • Animal health is a key component of animal welfare • OIE is recognised globally as the leader in setting international animal welfare standards

5. 5th Strategic Plan: Key concepts • Veterinary education • The quality of veterinarians is essential for protection of society • Recognition of veterinary diploma and professional excellence • OIE Global Conference on Veterinary Education (and follow up) • Good Governance of Veterinary Services • Need for appropriate legislation and implementation through national animal health systems • A responsibility of Government • Alliances between public and private sectors (farmers, consumers) • Quality of Services: use of OIE PVS evaluation and PVS Gap Analysis tools • Initial and ongoing veterinary education

6. Trends in animal protein consumption • Shift from poverty to middle-class (+1 billion people expected) • Increase in the number of daily meals • Some projections for 2030 indicate that the demand for animal proteins, in particular milk and eggs, will increase by 50%, especially in developing countries

7. Veterinary Services in today’s world • Pathogens are transported around the world faster than the average incubation time of most epizootics. • Climate change and human behaviour allow colonisation of new territories by vectors and pathogens e.g … bluetongue in Europe; H5N1 avian influenza; west Nile fever in the USA

8. Zoonotic potential of animal pathogens 60% of human pathogens are zoonotic 75% of emerging diseases are zoonotic 80% of agents with a potential use in bioterrorism are zoonotic pathogens

9. Food security, food safetyand public health • 1 billion poor people depend on livestock for survival • The impact of animal diseases on animal production lossesworldwideexceeds 20% • Animal health, foodsecurity, public health are linked • Animal proteinis crucial for humanhealth and welfare • Given the risingdemand for protein, animal production must beintensifiedglobally • Threatsinclude globalisation, climate change and bioterrorism • The veterinary profession must beready!

10. The ‘Global Public Good’ Concept • In relation to the control and eradication of infectious diseases, the benefits are international and inter­generational in scope. • Countries depend on each other • Animal health systems are not a commercial nor a strictly agricultural good. They are fully eligible for national and global public resources Failure of one country may endanger the entire planet

11. Good Governance – for all countries • Need for appropriate legislation and its efficient implementation through appropriate human and financial resources allowing national animal health systems to provide for: • Appropriate surveillance, early detection, transparency • Rapid response to animal disease outbreaks • Biosecurity measures • Compensation • Vaccination when appropriate Deregulation and lack of resources for veterinary services can be a source of biological disasters

12. Veterinary Legislation • A crucial element of the Veterinary Services’ infrastructure • Not updated for many years in many OIE Members • Inadequate in structure and content for the challenges facing VS in today’s world • the OIE provides assistance to Membersviathe Global Veterinary Legislation Initiative, part of the • OIE PVS Pathway for efficient Veterinary Services 12

13. OIE PVS Pathway for efficient Veterinary Services OIE collaborates with governments, stakeholders and donors (if needed) The PVS Pathway Evaluation PVS « diagnosis » PVS Gap Analysis « prescription» PVS Follow-Up Evaluation mission « treatment » Veterinary Services Strategic Plan Modernisation of legislation Public/private Partnerships Country / Donors Investment / Projects Veterinary Education Laboratories

14. PVS Evaluation Mission - ‘diagnostic step’ External independent evaluation (objectivity) Experts trained and certified by the OIE Based on facts & evidence, not impressions Upon request of the country (voluntary basis) To assess: Compliance with OIE standards Strengths / Weaknesses Gaps / areas for improvement Peer reviewed Recognised by international donors Not an audit Country property (confidentiality of results)

15. The global diagnostic • Insufficient national chain of command • Weakness of private sector organizations • Few compensation mechanisms • Limited ability to control livestock movements • Constraints to implement biosecurity measures • Difficulty of implementing appropriate vaccination • Failures in the control of veterinary drugs threaten human health, market access and the development of private sector veterinary services

16. The global diagnostic • Competition with other priority sectors for national and international resources • Weaknesses of national Veterinary Services (legislation, human and financial resources) • Veterinary services need to improve their ability to present financial information and cost/benefit arguments to support their missions • Veterinary initial and continuing education programmes do not comply with the global needs.

17. PVS Evaluation missionsState of play – 01/12/2010

18. OIE Assistance on Veterinary Legislation There is no model – each country is sovereign Country PVS report available (importantcondition) Official country request to the OIE OIE proposal to the country for an initial mission (identification of needs and context) Technical Assistance Convention with the country OIE preparatory questionnaire sent to the country Creation of national Veterinary Legislation Task Force Country work linked with OIE experts

19. OIE support underan MOU A 1 year or 2 year programme for legislative renewal, with ongoing support by an OIE expert. Strong interest in this option The OIE, through an experienced and qualified expert, provides technical advice – but legislative renewal can only be achieved by technical experts and legal advisors of the country with full support from decision makers in government

20. VeterinaryLegislation Identification MissionState of play – 01/12/2010

21. OIE Technical Guidelines onVeterinaryLegislation The technical guidelines will be used to update the legislation where gaps are identified in the course of an OIE PVS Evaluation http://www.oie.int/eng/oie/organisation/A_Guidelines_Vet%20Leg.pdf The Terrestrial Code Commission will propose to incorporate them as standards in 2011.

22. OIE Technical Guidelines onVeterinaryLegislation Separation between the legislative and the regulatory domain The authority of VS to enter livestock premises and other relevant establishments and take the actions needed for early detection, reporting and rapid and effective management of any animal diseases Give VS the necessary authority to perform them efficiently and effectively

23. OIE Technical Guidelines onVeterinaryLegislation Appropriate basis for communication between VS and other governmental bodies and provide a framework for joint activities for on farm issues, including zoonoses, veterinarians must always be in the front line but do not act in isolation. Cooperation between stakeholders (private sector veterinarians, livestock producers and processors) Framework for stakeholder cooperation and partnership definition of the roles and responsibilities rights and obligations of all responsible parties.

24. A stronger collaboration between WHO, FAO and OIE Sharing responsibilities and coordinating global activities to address health risks at the animal-human-ecosystems interfaces 24

25. Communication Communication with consumers: a key responsibility of Veterinary Services. Food safety: VS can contribute to managing the risks associated with live animals and their products, i.e. effective risk management. Animal welfare: information on how livestock are produced, transported and slaughtered. VS: the key organisation regulating and providing guidance on animal welfare. Need appropriate regulatory framework and provisions for communication with consumers and NGOs to inform them of government decisions and give them a channel for raising concerns

26. Other elements in the PVS Pathway Twinning: link between OIE Reference Laboratory or Collaborating Centre (parent) and national laboratory (candidate) with the ultimate goal of becoming an OIE Reference Laboratory or Centre. Help to build national veterinary scientific community in developing countries • participation of scientists and experts of developing countries (with financial support of the EC)

27. OIE Twinning Initiative • Better global geographical coverage • Regional support • Improved access for more countries (focus on developing and transition countries) to diagnostics and expertise and to participate in OIE standard setting process

28. 190 OIE Ref. Labs., • 36 Countries, • 101 Diseases, • 161 experts, List of OIE Reference Laboratories: http://www.oie.int/eng/OIE/organisation/en_listeLR.htm

29. PVS Gap Analysis To identify specific activities, tasks and resources required to address “gaps” identified through the country PVS evaluation To determine and confirm country priorities (country involvement) Estimation of costs (collaboration with Partners and Donors) Preparation of an estimated budget Support to preparation of investment programmes

30. PVS Gap Analysis mission a PVS Gap Analysis mission facilitates the definition of country’s Veterinary Services’ objectives in terms of compliance with OIE quality standards, suitably adapted to national constraints and priorities. The country PVS Gap Analysis report includes an indicative operational budget for 5 years and an exceptional budget(necessary investments) when relevant.

31. Using the PVS Gap Analysis How and what to finance is a sovereign decision of the country The Country’s Government decides if this is kept for internal use or distributed if necessary to Donors and relevant International Organisations to prepare investment programmes

32. Using the PVS Gap Analysis In country discussions with the relevant Minister, other Ministries, Ministry of Finance, Prime Minister, Head of State, National Parliament, depending on the context of the country Round tables, in the country, with Donor Agencies and International Organisations, incl. FAO Preparation of the country Veterinary Services estimated Budget and of national or international investments

33. Veterinary Education • The quality of veterinary education is not adequate in up to 80% of veterinary education establishments in the world. • Initial & continuing veterinary education is a key tool for global good governance

34. Veterinary Education • Need for harmonisation of basic core curricula towards a global standard • based on a list of ‘day 1 competencies’ • Minimum requirements – developed countries may have stricter standards • Quality control and recognition procedures • More involvement of VeterinaryStatutory Body

35. Objectives and expectations for the conference

36. OIE Objectives (1) To help national animal health and welfare systems to be ready to address the important threats and challenges of: Globalisation Climate change societal expectation To explain how compliance with global standards and guidelines can facilitate the needed evolution of Member countries and regional organisations.

37. OIE Objectives (2) To present the different tools available to OIE Member Countries: the OIE PVS Pathway and the global capacity building programme OIE Veterinary Legislation Strengthening Programme, as part of the PVS Pathway Twinning programme for laboratories and other institutes OIE Veterinary Education Initiative promotion of the important role of Veterinary Statutory Bodies

38. OIE Objectives (3) To continue advocating on behalf of VS, including interactions with OIE Donors and Partners To argue for significant investment in VS because they are a Global public good To provide compelling messages for presentation to decision-makers To provide the tools to help VS to take steps to strengthen the national legislation and thereby improve the efficiency of national VS To raise awareness of the key importance of quality veterinary education for efficient VS

39. Expectations Full engagement of all participants, including by taking key consensual messages back to national governments Increased support from OIE Partners and Donors for the PVS Pathway, including the Veterinary Legislation Support Programme and other initiatives to help Members to be ready to deal with important global new challenges Increased involvement of Regional Economic Communities with the goal of harmonising legislation at the regional level.

40. Expectations Increased involvement of Veterinary Statutory Bodies in the regulation of the profession, including closer collaboration with the VS Renewed emphasis on the importance of initial and continuing veterinary education as a key component of efficient Veterinary Services Closer collaboration between VS and Ministries responsible for human health, wildlife and the environment Global endorsement of the OIE approach to global capacity building and twinning programmes.

41. Acknowledgements to: This conference is co-funded by the European Union and Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). Financial support for participation is also provided by the Organismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (OIRSA). and special thanks to: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture And Water Resources of Tunisia

42. OrganisationMondialede la SantéAnimale WorldOrganisationfor AnimalHealth OrganizaciónMundialde SanidadAnimal Thank you for your attention 12 rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, France – www.oie.int – oie@oie.int