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China joins fight against bird flu, foot and mouth
5:00AM Monday December 03, 2007
By Owen Hembry
New Zealand last week hosted the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania for the second time since joining the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in 1925.
A total of 130 people from countries all around the region took part in the meeting held in Queenstown, including for the first time, China.
MAF Biosecurity assistant director general and OIE president Barry O'Neil says China had agreed to host the next meeting in 2009.
"Up to now without them being present at these meetings there's a big gap in the region," O'Neil said.
A workshop was held on bird flu and discussions included controlling foot and mouth, emerging diseases in pigs, food safety challenges for developing countries and an update on the disease status of all countries.
Foot and mouth was endemic in South East Asia, with about 400 outbreaks each year, O'Neil said.
The possible drivers of emerging diseases in pigs were examined, including whether there was a genetic problem from a narrowed base, husbandry systems and susceptibility related to more intensive farming.
Improvement had been made in controlling bird flu but there was still significant outbreaks in Indonesia and Vietnam and despite falling out of public view, the issue was still very much a major issue for veterinary services of affected countries.
"The highlight for me was the commitment from the countries accepting we need to work together to be able to control these serious diseases," O'Neil said.
Modern life, travel, tourism and trade increasingly make borders just lines on a map. Controlling animal diseases, especially for an economy dominated by agriculture, needs an international approach. Big gaps don't help, China's joining will.
5:00AM Monday December 03, 2007
By Owen Hembry
New Zealand last week hosted the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania for the second time since joining the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in 1925.
A total of 130 people from countries all around the region took part in the meeting held in Queenstown, including for the first time, China.
MAF Biosecurity assistant director general and OIE president Barry O'Neil says China had agreed to host the next meeting in 2009.
"Up to now without them being present at these meetings there's a big gap in the region," O'Neil said.
A workshop was held on bird flu and discussions included controlling foot and mouth, emerging diseases in pigs, food safety challenges for developing countries and an update on the disease status of all countries.
Foot and mouth was endemic in South East Asia, with about 400 outbreaks each year, O'Neil said.
The possible drivers of emerging diseases in pigs were examined, including whether there was a genetic problem from a narrowed base, husbandry systems and susceptibility related to more intensive farming.
Improvement had been made in controlling bird flu but there was still significant outbreaks in Indonesia and Vietnam and despite falling out of public view, the issue was still very much a major issue for veterinary services of affected countries.
"The highlight for me was the commitment from the countries accepting we need to work together to be able to control these serious diseases," O'Neil said.
Modern life, travel, tourism and trade increasingly make borders just lines on a map. Controlling animal diseases, especially for an economy dominated by agriculture, needs an international approach. Big gaps don't help, China's joining will.
