An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current veterinary systems in the developing world.

The changes that veterinary services have undergone in the developing world over the last two decades are expected to continue and result in the further privatisation of selected tasks, the decentralisation of decision-making and a move towards more focus on public goods service delivery by State veterinary units. At the same time, global food consumption patterns are changing in numerous ways, which will certainly affect veterinary services delivery systems. These changes include a trend towards increasing globalisation, rapidly escalating consumer demand for animal protein, intensification of livestock production into larger units and growth of the trade of livestock and livestock products. Intensification of livestock production into larger units and global trade will increase the challenges resulting from the resurgence of serious animal diseases, food safety hazards and veterinary public health-related problems. Facing and managing these challenges raises issues related to animal health delivery systems and national policies that will have to be addressed. Strengthening the capacity of State veterinary units to respond to regulatory responsibilities dictated by national laws and international World Trade Organization and OIE (World organisation for animal health) health standards will be at the centre of animal health policies in most developing countries. Creating an environment which facilitates privatised service delivery and supports subcontracting is likely to contribute to improving economic efficiency and providing wider access to veterinary services. Equally important is the issue of professional development, which must be addressed by refocusing veterinary curricula and improving professional standards. The profession will then be in a better position to serve the needs of increasing numbers of consumers.

Disease prevention and preparedness: the Food and Agriculture Organization Emergency Prevention System.

In 1994, the Food and Agriculture Organization undertook to revitalise its activities in the control of transboundary animal disease by establishing a new special programme known as the Emergency Prevention System (EMPRES) against transboundary animal and plant pests and diseases. The emphasis of the EMPRES livestock component is placed on pre-empting outbreaks and losses experienced by agriculture through the enhancement of local capacity to detect and react rapidly to plague events. EMPRES concentrates on the co-ordination of the Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme--a time-bound eradication programme--whilst addressing the progressive control of the most serious epidemic diseases within a broad framework of emergency preparedness. Programme activities are discussed in relation to early warning, early reaction, facilitating research and co-ordination. In addition to rinderpest, particular attention has been paid to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, a re-emerging disease in Africa targeted for strategic attention, and foot and mouth disease, for which co-ordinated regional control in Latin America and South-East Asia has been initiated. Tactical responses to other disease emergencies such as African swine fever, classical swine fever (hog cholera), Rift Valley fever, peste des petits ruminants and lumpy skin disease are described.