Innovative strategies for strenghtening regional animal health networks

Epidemiosurveillance networks face numerous challenges: diversity of diseases, farming practices and environment; language barriers; heterogeneity of socioeconomic development levels, health infrastructure and laboratory and epidemiology capacities; disparate veterinary legislation and health policies; and an increasing lack of human and funding resources. These factors represent important constraints for the establishment of regional animal health networks, especially in the context of the emergence/re-emergence of diseases due to globalisation of trade, movement intensification (animals, humans, products) and environmental changes. As regional animal health networks generally aim to contribute to the harmonisation and reinforcement of animal disease surveillance and control activities in the countries of a region, these factors even challenge this objective. This report highlights the key factors that regional animal health networks need to consider to tackle these challenges, increase cost–efficiency and work towards ensuring network sustainability. Some examples of what is being done in this respect in the Caribbean will be used to show how these activities have contributed to the development of the Caribbean Animal Health Network, CaribVET. Recommendations are given with a long-term vision of enhancement of veterinary services and cover the following: formalisation of the regional animal health network; official recognition by international organisations; synergistic interactions with animal health projects being conducted in the same region; the application of quality assurance principles to the management and coordination of regional networks; advocacy at the highest levels on network relevancy, impact and communication; and promotion of interaction between research, surveillance and capacity-building programmes.