OIE/FAO-APHCA/DLD Regional Workshop on BSE Risk Analysis
(Chiang Mai, Thailand, 9-11 October 2003)
The Workshop was attended by 45 participants and observers including national representatives from 20 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (People’s Republic of), India, Indonesia, Korea (Republic of), Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vanuatu and Vietnam; speakers from Japan, Switzerland, FAO Regional Office (Bangkok) and OIE HQ (Paris); and the organisers: OIE Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific (Tokyo, Japan), FAO-APHCA (Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok) and Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives including its Department of Livestock Development (DLD). Observers were from Thailand and a BSE reagent producing laboratory and a company (Prionics AG and Roche Diagnostics GmbH, while other three laboratories were invited but did not attend).
Welcome addresses were delivered by Dr Yukol Limlamthong, Director General of DLD; Dr Nipon Tuwanon, President of Chiang Mai University; Dr Teruhide Fujita, OIE Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific; and Dr He Chanchui, Assistant Director General of FAO and Regional Representative for Asia and Pacific (RAP).
Mr Newin Chidchob, Parliament member and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand presided and declared the opening of the Workshop.
During the Workshop, Prof. Ulrich Kihm, President of Safe Food Solution Inc. (SAFOSO) gave lectures on BSE, including updated information of scientific findings and geographical distribution of BSE. During discussions on BSE risk analysis in the Region, some countries including China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand indicated that they had already started BSE diagnostic testing and surveillance, but most of the countries in the Region need to build capacity for BSE diagnosis and surveillance and risk analysis. The participants discussed the importance of recognition of BSE cases not only in Europe but also in other continents including the Middle East (Israel), Asia (Japan), and the Americas (Canada).
Dr Alejandro Schudel, OIE HQ, introduced OIE normative functions especially Animal Health Code chapters regarding BSE, and explained OIE pathways for declaration of BSE freedom and provisionally freedom.
Dr Mari Iwanaka, Animal Quarantine Services of Japan, presented her paper on the experience of Japan regarding a BSE status assessment. The quantitative risk assessment measures have been developed and used to assess the BSE status of other countries, based on the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and the government completed the assessment for many numbers of countries, especially with low-risk countries.
Discussions were made on an atypical BSE case which had been identified in Japan as the eighth positive case during the same week of the Workshop in Chiang Mai, and participants were provided with new information on that.
Dr Hans Wagner, FAO/APHCA, made a presentation on the importance of animal traceability. Animal traceability systems are not so well advanced in the Region, and they need still to be developed to identify individual animals/animal herd.
The participants were then split into five groups for exercises on risk assessment with relation to cases of BSE.
The Workshop on BSE Risk Analysis recommended that:
- All member countries in the Region prepare and perform risk assessment on BSE in order to determine their status as soon as possible, according to the OIE Code Chapter on BSE (2.3.13.).
- Compulsory notification for BSE and effective surveillance systems are established in the Region.
- Veterinary services develop risk management programmes according to their BSE status.
- Veterinary services develop public awareness by providing available scientific information on BSE and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) to veterinarians, farmers and other stakeholders.
- Veterinary services provide information on scientific matters regarding BSE and TSEs and provide guidance to industry about standards with which they need to comply.
- Member countries apply to OIE for recognition of their BSE status in line with the OIE established procedures, if the countries wish to be recognised as free or provisionally free from BSE.
- The use of ruminant tissues including MBM and greaves in ruminant feed be banned.
- Knowledge be generated regarding BSE in buffaloes.
- Capacity building be improved for Veterinary Services on BSE diagnosis, and epidemiology.
- BSE diagnosis and surveillance systems be widely introduced in the Region.
- Discussion among countries leading to establishment of national animal identification systems be encouraged according to OIE international standards when they become available, and that standards be harmonised amongst countries in the Region.
- International organisations continue their assistance, cooperation, and collaboration for capacity building on risk analysis and diagnosis/surveillance of BSE.