1. REGIONAL COMMISSION FOR AFRICA 2009
THE TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL HEALTH STANDARDS COMMISSION
Update of Activities
NDJAMENA CHAD
23rd -26th February 2009
S K Hargreaves

2. Changing of Standards OIE standards based on science
Science done by developed countries
Pressure by importing countries to protect themselves (e.g. Avian influenza)
Pressure by exporting countries to increase trade
OIE standards are constantly changing
OIE standards developed by transparent/democratic process
Private standards based on consumer demands - not science based

3. Setting of Standards
Specialist Commissions (Code/SCAD) and ad hoc/working groups - Standard setting begins
List of possible experts to be prepared
Selected members from the African regional blocks must attend meetings or find alternative
Consider the needs of the continent
Circulation of provisional standards for comments
International Committee for final debate

4. Terrestrial Animal Health Code
Update of activities
2009

5. Update of Activities of Importance to Africa
Safe commodities:
Work continues to identify safe commodities
Deboned, matured (+2-4° C for 24 hrs), pH (below 6) tested meat being free from FMD
OIE to commission scientific studies as evidence of the safety of this commodity
Deboned muscle meat from cattle of any age being free from BSE (removal of the 30 mth ban)
million BSE infected cattle consumed in the UK since 1996, but only 179 human deaths

6. BSE contd.
Removal and avoidance of contamination with SRM, as defined in Article , are paramount to manage the human and animal health risks associated with BSE.
Mechanically derived meat is a problem
Much research done on hamsters and lab animals

7. Wildlife Surveillance
Wildlife now included in AH Surveilllance chapter
Disease status now demands surveillance in wildlife if wild species are susceptible to the particular disease.
Infection in wildlife may not mean infection is in domestic animals if bio-security measures are in place
Therefore, disease status of country/zone may not be affected by presence of infection in wildlife i.e. avian influenza in wild birds
Wildlife is becoming more significant and future developments requires monitoring.
Handbook on “Surveillance for diseases of terrestrial animals” under development by the OIE

8. Wildlife Surveillance contd.
Challenges for wildlife surveillance
Data unavailable (numbers, diseases, movements etc)
Collaboration with other Ministries, authorities etc
Collection of samples may be difficult (hunters, trappers, game meat, road kills, farmers, wildlife rangers etc)
Identification of species
Tests must have appropriate sensitivity and specificity for particular wildlife species
Some wildlife migratory
Difficulty in proving wildlife populations are free of particular disease

9. Historical Freedom Global climatic and environmental changes
Massive movement of animals and people
Changes in location of vectors
Historical freedom from some diseases is no longer reliable
Historical freedom removed from CSF chapter
May require surveillance, testing to insure freedom from particular disease

10. Disease Freedoms OIE specifies freedom for FMD, BSE, CBPP, Rinderpest
Questionnaire to be included in the Code for transparency and to strengthen legal basis
Detailed questionnaire

11. Self-declaration Self-declaration of freedom from disease
Countries may make a self declaration that a country, zone or compartment is free from a listed disease, based on the implementation of the provisions of the Terrestrial Code and the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (the Terrestrial Manual).
The Veterinary Authority may wish to transmit this information to the OIE Central Bureau, which may publish the information.
New article is to be developed in Chapter 1.1 Notification of Diseases and Epidemiological Information.

12. New Definitions Communication
means the discipline of informing, influencing, and motivating individual, institutional and public audiences, preferably on the basis of interactive exchanges, about any issue falling under the mandate of the OIE and the competence of the Veterinary Services.
Outbreak communication
means the process of communicating in the event of an outbreak. Outbreak communication includes notification.
Crisis communication, crisis.
PVS
Communication to be expanded in the PVS tool
PVS to include a gap analysis study
Possible legislation follow up missions

13. Zoning Buffer and surveillance zones Deleted
Protection zone (replaces Buffer zone)
means a zone established to protect the health status of animals in a free country or free zone, from those in a country or zone of a different animal health status, using measures based on the epidemiology of the disease under consideration to prevent spread of the causative pathogenic agent into a free country or free zone. These measures may include, but are not limited to, vaccination, movement control and an intensified degree of disease surveillance.

14. Compartmentalisation for FMD
Experts have agreed that compartmentalisation can apply to FMD
This concept will be included into the FMD chapter for comment by member countries
Africa should support this development as it will facilitate trade from many African countries

15. Compartmentalisation for CSF
Accepted that domestic pigs can be kept separate from wild pig
Infection in wild pigs would not affect free status in domestic pigs
Monitor changes to ASF chapter

16. Rabies
Current chapter modified so that finding bat lyssavirus would not interfere with the status of the country
Ad hoc group to be convened to draft new chapter on rabies
Chapter to include all lyssaviruses that cause rabies.
Country status to change if infection found in domestic animals and man, but not in wildlife.

17. Stray Dog Population Control
For developing countries
Diseases (rabies) parasites (echinococcus spp)
Very few comments from Africa
Definitions, welfare, legislation, control measures, management, vaccinations, euthanasia etc.

18. Community Animal Health Worker
CAHWs are important in Africa
CAHW does not appear in the Code
No definition made
Ad hoc group to address the issue

19. Animal Welfare Diverse views - Definition unchanged
Animal health and welfare linked
Transport: air, road, sea
Slaughter
Killing of animals for disease control
Laboratory animals
AWWG
Production of broilers/layers
Dairy animals

20. New Chapter on Animal Feed
Animal feed for food producing animals
Pet food/feed
New chapter includes feed for all terrestrial animals
Codex ‘Code of Practice of Good Animal Feeding’
OIE animal health and zoonoses
i.e. FMD, ASF, SVD, BSE etc.
Ingredients, contamination, hazards, sampling, labelling, certification etc.

21. Other Issues Newcastle disease Identification and traceability
Greater harmonisation with AI chapter
Identification and traceability
International meeting in Buenos Aires

22. Conclusions
If Africa is to have more influence in the standard setting process:
Regional Commission/Regional Blocks should meet more frequently and develop common positions
Conduct more scientific research to support proposed standards
Participate actively in ad hoc/working groups
Make more comments to circulated draft standards
Participate actively at the International Committee

23. THANK YOU