64^th Meeting of the SPS Committee

Communication from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

The following communication, received on 25 September 2015, is being circulated at the request of the OIE.

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The OIE is pleased to provide this update to the 64^th meeting of the SPS Committee.

The report summarises key developments in the OIE standard-setting work programme, along with a summary of progress with the Global Health Security Agenda, and an updated summary of the OIE PVS Capacity Building programme.

The full reports of the September and October 2015 meetings of the Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission (Code Commission) and the Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission will be available on the OIE website shortly. Key topics addressed at these meetings included:

1  Glossary definitions for OIE Standards and Guidelines

1.1.  Although the terms OIE Standards and OIE Guidelines are commonly used, they have never been precisely defined. Following discussion between the Specialist Commissions, definitions for OIE Standards and Guidelines have been developed for member countries' consideration. Once a glossary definition for these terms has been adopted by the OIE World Assembly of Delegates, the use of these words throughout the Codes and Manuals will be reviewed to align with the adopted definitions.

2  Infection with African swine fever virus

2.1.  An ad hoc group was convened in 2014 to revise the current Terrestrial Code chapter on "Infection with African swine fever virus", and circulated for member countries' comments in February 2015. Given the continuing challenges of controlling this disease in several parts of the world, there is a high level of interest in this revision which was reflected in the number of comments received on the draft revision. The Code Commission amended the draft revision in response to member countries' comments, and it is hoped this revised chapter can be proposed for adoption at the May 2016 General Session.

3  Criteria

3.1.  Following the adoption of the definition of safe commodities in May 2015, the Code Commission has developed a draft chapter on the criteria to be used for assessing the safety of commodities for member countries' consideration (as in Chapter 5.4 of the Aquatic Code). As noted previously, this work is expected to more clearly highlight instances of inappropriate use of unwarranted sanitary measures for all of those commodities specifically identified as safe in the various disease specific chapters.

4  Infection with Burkholderia mallei (glanders)

4.1.  Again there is a high level of interest in the comprehensive revision of this chapter, reflected in the volume of member countries' comments. The Code Commission amended the draft revision in response to member countries' comments, and it is hoped this revised chapter can be proposed for adoption at the May 2016 General Session.

5  Model Certificate for elite competition horses

5.1.  Development of this certificate is expected to facilitate the implementation of the recently adopted chapter on the high health status horse population. Again there is a high level of interest in this work in advance of the 2016 Olympic Games.

6  Generic work on zoning, vaccination, vaccination programme, emergency vaccination and routine vaccination

6.1.  Although this work is still at an early stage of development, the aim is to develop OIE definitions and standards under these headings that will facilitate and guide efficient and effective disease outbreak management for many OIE listed diseases.

7  Global HeaLth Security Agenda: Moving forward to a safer world

7.1.  Twelve months after the White House meeting in September 2014, the Global Health Security Agenda High Level Meeting in Seoul (Republic of Korea) on 7-9 September 2015 provided the opportunity to take stock of the progress made and re-affirm the future steps to be achieved within the Agenda. Once again, GHSA participating countries were called upon to make an effort to strengthen their existing national health systems and to fully and rapidly comply with international standards and obligations including the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) and quality of veterinary services using existing tools, notably the OIE's Performance of Veterinary Services Pathway (PVS) and global information systems such as OIE/WAHIS, with regards to animal health.

8  Overview of the main advances supporting the GHSA achieved by the OIE since 2014

8.1.  The OIE PVS Pathway is an expert-led objective assessment and analysis of the ability and resources of National Veterinary Services to meet OIE international quality standards. This is the most critical factor in preventing and detecting the spread of dangerous pathogens of animal origin, and of prime importance to the success of the GHSA "Detect" and "Prevent" Action Packages. There have been PVS Pathway Missions conducted by the OIE in 130 countries.

8.2.  Progress has been made in the WHO-IHR/OIE-PVS joint initiative to enable the development of national strategies to enhance capacities in both the human and animal health sectors. In December 2014, the WHO-IHR/OIE-PVS Operational Guide for national Good Governance at the Human-Animal Interface was published. Together, WHO and OIE have now identified a significant number of countries eligible for additional Joint National Working Sessions.

8.3.  The OIE has furthered the knowledge of its global network through the training of OIE National Delegates and National Focal Points, the latter of which includes, among others, Veterinary Laboratory and for animal disease notification. Hundreds of national policy makers have already benefited from that initiative.

8.4.  At its World Assembly annual General Session this May, the OIE initiated an expansion and improvement of "WAHIS" – World Animal Health Information System, with the adoption of a Resolution pertaining to "the use of information technology in animal health management, disease reporting, surveillance and emergency response". 180 OIE member countries are committed to report 117 listed-animal diseases (including zoonoses) and emerging events, and this information is immediately shared with GLEWS, the Global Early Warning System, which coordinates alert and disease intelligence mechanisms of OIE, FAO and WHO to assist in prediction, prevention and control of disease threats of animal origin. This new WAHIS expansion will further enhance the reporting of global animal disease information critical to the protection of global health security.

8.5.  The OIE Laboratory Twinning Programme links candidate laboratories in developing or in-transition countries with OIE Reference Laboratories or Collaborating Centres; building their capacity and scientific expertise. It also provides a pathway for the creation of more OIE Reference Laboratories with greater regional and geographic balance. More than 50 twinnings have been established.

8.6.  During this past year, the OIE has worked continuously to collaboratively plan and implement measures to fight anti-microbial resistance. Examples of this collaboration include: OIE contribution to the WHO-led AMR Global Action Plan; revision of the OIE List of Antimicrobial Agents of Veterinary Importance; and importantly, the adoption of updated standards on the prudent use of antibiotics in animals and of an AMR Resolution at its May 2015 World Assembly, to institute an OIE global database on the use of antimicrobial agents in animals in Member Countries as provided for in the WHO Global Action Plan.

8.7.  The OIE has also expanded its efforts to improve animal biosecurity and biosurveillance through its collaboration on issues such as the transport of biological samples, Rinderpest post-eradication measures, biosecurity guidelines for laboratories and the OIE Global Biological Threat Reduction Conference bridging the security and health communities held in Paris on 30 June-2 July of this year.

9  OIE PVS Capacity Building Programme

9.1.  The OIE continues its global initiative to support member countries wishing to comply with quality standards of national Veterinary Services and Aquatic Animal Health Services by following the PVS Pathway. A summary of progress on PVS Pathway missions is provided in the attached Annex.

Annex

A summary of progress on PVS Pathway evaluations

PVS Evaluation missions: State of play (22 September 2015)

PVS Gap Analysis: State of play (22 September 2015)

Veterinary Legislation: State of play (22 September 2015)

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