OIE/FAO-APHCA Joint Workshop on Disease Surveillance using HPAI as a model
(Chiang Mai, Thailand, 25-28 July 2007)
The Workshop was attended by 32 participants from 18 countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) and 2 international organisations (FAO-APHCA and OIE).
Dr Lertrak Srikijakarn, Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University welcomed all the participants. Dr Carolyn Benigno, FAO Regional Office based in Bangkok, and Dr Y. Oketani, OIE Deputy Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, made welcome addresses, and Dr Dao-ruung, Vice President of Chiang Mai University officially declared the opening of the Workshop.
Dr Ulrich Kihm, Safe Food Solutions Inc. (SAFOSO), made an introduction of the components of the Workshop: topics, objectives and expected outputs.
Dr Katharina Staerk, Royal Veterinary College of England, made a presentation on the key design elements and epidemiological concepts of conventional surveillance, syndromic surveillance and risk based surveillance.
Dr Carolyn Benigno made a presentation on HPAI epidemiology, properties of available diagnostic tests and their application in HPAI, surveillance strategies, control measures and monitoring and surveillance programme.
The participants were divided into the following five groups to discuss the measures against HPAI.
a) HPAI free countries without vaccination (Brunei, Philippine and others)
b) HPAI free countries using vaccination (Mongolia, Bhutan and others)
c) Previously HPAI infected countries (Malaysia, Iran and others)
d) HPAI infected countries without vaccination (India and others)
e) HPAI infected countries using vaccination (Vietnam and Indonesia)
The groups discussed the surveillance techniques in each situation.
The participants were then divided into the following four geographical groups for exercises on designing model surveillance programme for each sub-region.
a) ASEAN member countries (South East Asia sub-region)
b) SAARC member countries (South Asia sub-region)
c) Mekong River area (MTM: Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia)
d) Others (Pacific islands, Mongolia, Iran)
The groups made presentations and had discussions to elaborate their surveillance programmes.
Dr Oketani introduced the OIE Standards and explained Code Chapters related to HPAI surveillance.
The Workshop was successfully conducted with the participation of a variety of countries from Asia and the Pacific.