Workshops/Meetings : HPAI - Component 2

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Conclusions and Recommendations of the OIE Workshop on HPAI Information Systems in Southeast Asia Bangkok, Thailand, 28-29 September 2006

Considering that

  1. By deciding to join the OIE, countries agree to fulfill their international commitments to notify diseases as laid down in the specific chapters of the Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes.
  2. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), an OIE-Listed disease, due to sub-type H5N1 seems to have established its foothold in some parts of Southeast Asian countries (ASEAN countries), and it is considered that the virus is persistent and circulating there.
  3. HPAI which was firstly reported in East and Southeast Asia in 2003 and 2004, is now of world concern, because of its geographical distribution and pathogenicity, providing the negative consequences not only to livestock agriculture but also to human health.
  4. Based on the transboundary nature of HPAI, a country working alone will not be able to prevent the disease and thus the regional cooperation and alliance is an essential requirement for tackling the disease.
  5. Tackling HPAI at source is an important challenge for Veterinary Services of each country to prevent and control the disease for the reduction of the risks to livestock agriculture as well as to humans.
  6. Disease information with transparent and timely notification is the base of animal health improvement including HPAI prevention and control, public awareness as well as disease preparedness at national, regional and global levels.
  7. The regional HPAI information network in ASEAN countries developed for the above-mentioned purposes could be used for other Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) such as Foot and Mouth Disease.
  8. Recently the animal health information systems of OIE and ASEAN have been predominantly developed through the development of the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) for a global purpose and for ASEAN Regional Animal Health Information System (ARAHIS) for identified priority endemic diseases at a regional level.
  9. The new activities to fight against HPAI in Southeast Asia have recently been initiated by and supported under the OIE/Japan Special Trust Fund for HPAI control whose components include the encouragement of HPAI information sharing to further strengthen regional early warning systems.

The Workshop recommends that

  1. Each country in the ASEAN region should report regularly and be encouraged to fully utilize the existing online world animal health information notification system (immediate notification and follow-ups) on HPAI and other diseases. When the disease becomes endemic in a country, a final follow-up report should be made and notification to the OIE on HPAI should continue through the monthly reporting procedure (by month and by first administrative division) so to continue having information on HPAI situation in that country.
  2. The OIE should develop the Regional HPAI information system (OIE WAHIS Regional Core for HPAI) which is closely linked with the HPAI component of WAHIS and which may use additional reliable information that will complement WAHIS information component of the Region, for benefit of ASEAN Countries. In developing the new OIE Regional HPAI WAHIS Core, there will be no need to duplicate reporting of disease occurrences notified by each country to the OIE Central Bureau, through WAHIS web application, with that of the HPAI Regional WAHIS Core but there is a need to maximize the effective use of the HPAI information through analysis for the benefit of the region, with inputs of additional relevant information on HPAI, where applicable.
  3. Each ASEAN Member country should provide information on HPAI using WAHIS web application so that the newly developed OIE Regional HPAI WAHIS Core can be fed, from the OIE's Central Bureau.
  4. Consideration should be paid to the use of the OIE Regional HPAI WAHIS Core used for other Transboudary Animal Diseses (TADs) in the Region.
  5. The possible linkage between WAHIS information systems and ARAHIS should be explored from various angles on reporting methodologies in ARAHIS, taking into consideration more effective connection between two animal health information systems in the Region.