Privatization of Animal Health Services in the Tropics

Tropical Animal Health and Production -     

Performance of Community-based Animal Health Workers in the Delivery of Livestock Health Services

Since the liberalization of animal health services in Kenya in the early 1990s, community-based animal health workers (CBAHWs) have become an important alternative animal health delivery channel in the country's marginal areas. However, professional veterinary practitioners have questioned the effectiveness of CBAHW programmes in animal health service delivery in Kenya. This is partly due to lack of information about their performance and partly because CBAHW programmes were implemented before the necessary changes in the existing legal, policy and institutional frameworks had been made. This study was designed to provide such information. In this regard, the productivity of livestock herds among farmers who utilized the services of CBAHWs was compared to that of livestock belonging to farmers who utilized the services of professional veterinarians. The annual live births per mature female (birth ratio) and the proportion of young stock to mature females (breeding index) was computed over a period of 3 years in cattle and goat herds under care of CBAHWs and professional veterinarians. The birth ratios in cattle and goats under CBAHWs were not significantly different from those under the care of professional veterinarians (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the breeding index of cattle and goats under the two categories was not statistically different. Besides the CBAHWs providing clinical services, they also created positive externalities through participatory learning enjoyed by neighbouring livestock keepers, who later dispensed with their services. Policy attention is therefore needed to enhance the participation of CBAHWs in animal health service delivery and to appropriately integrate their activities into the existing formal animal health delivery system in Kenya. Interventions that improve the professional development of these workers, with emphasis on areas pertaining to care of young stock, would not only promote the sustainability of CBAHW programmes but would also improve livestock productivity in the country's marginal areas.     

The Impact of Access to Animal Health Services on Donkey Health and Livelihoods in Ethiopia

This study was carried out to assess the impact of animal healthcare services on poor donkey owners in Ethiopia. The services provided by the Donkey Sanctuary were used as a case study. A questionnaire survey was designed and carried out in the areas around Debre Zeit in the Highlands of Ethiopia. The staff carried out a survey at 10 sites. Six of these were in Donkey Sanctuary project areas and four were in control areas. The results showed that in project areas donkeys were significantly healthier and more productive than in non-project areas. Donkey owners in project sites felt better off for having access to animal healthcare services; donkey owners in non-project sites were less confident about their incomes and the health of their animals.     

Community Animal Health Services for Improving Household Wealth and Health Status of Low-income Farmers

Community animal health services (CAHS) have been promoted since the 1970s by aid organizations in low-income countries to improve the health of animals. They are also thought to improve directly the wealth and health or livelihood of their owners. We have systematically searched for observational studies of basic preventive and curative animal health services provided by a community animal health worker in communities in low-income countries. The objective was to summarize the available research on the effects of CAHS on indicators for household wealth and health. Studies for inclusion were assessed independently according to predefined eligibility criteria, the methodological quality of the studies examined, and data extracted. Fourteen studies of varying methodological quality met the inclusion criteria. The results were unclear in four studies, and in the remaining studies it was difficult to summarize the results because they reported different outcomes. However, the studies report that CAHS has a considerable potential for improving human health and wealth as well as animal health and productivity. Given the amount of money and time invested in this area, these observations need to be confirmed in the context of a well-designed study using standard pragmatic outcomes.     

政府购买动物防疫公益性服务现状研究

为推动兽医社会化服务体系建设,本文研究了地方政府在动物防疫工作中购买服务的模式。结果表明:政府购买服务的购买主体为县级兽医主管部门、动物卫生监督机构、乡镇政府或乡镇动物防疫检疫站等,承接主体以疫苗生产企业、劳务派遣企业、乡镇兽医站、新型兽医服务主体、无害化处理企业、购买专门服务岗位为主。地方多通过协商委托、招标邀标等购买形式,主要购买强制免疫、无害化处理、动物检疫等服务内容。随着购买标准日益明晰,实施政府购买动物防疫公益性服务取得了一定成效:有效落实了兽医公益性服务职责,培育了兽医社会化服务力量,探索了相应机制等。但同时也存在公益性服务内涵和边界有待明确,承接主体难以满足购买服务需求,机制、服务内容及财政保障有待完善,监管工作亟待加强等问题。     

Rural veterinary services in Western Australia: Part A. Government veterinary services

OBJECTIVE: To determine the status of rural veterinary services in Western Australia. PROCEDURE: Two questionnaires were mailed to eligible, registered veterinary surgeons in Western Australia in 2006. The first was mailed to government veterinarians and the second to private practitioners in rural practice. Part A presents the replies from government veterinary officers and Part B the replies from rural practitioners. Replies were transferred to Microsoft Excel for analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-seven per cent of government veterinary officers responded to the questionnaire. Eighty per cent of these had been in the service for 20 years or more and their average age was 54. Work with sheep and beef cattle occupied 75% of their time, with dairy cattle receiving 10% and pigs and poultry less than 10%. The majority of respondents reported changes in the attitude of farmers to the service as a result of rural recessions and the decision to make a direct charge for government veterinary services. Although most respondents thought that the government veterinary service would continue in the future there were differences of opinion as to what form that would take. CONCLUSION: Government veterinary services in Western Australia are undergoing major changes, with the service decreasing in size and scope. Recently the Department of Agriculture has been renamed the Department of Agriculture and Food and it is likely that the role of its veterinary officers will change accordingly.     

Next-generation sequencing capacity and capabilities within the National Animal Health Laboratory Network

With the cost of next-generation sequencing (NGS) decreasing, this technology is rapidly being integrated into the workflows of veterinary clinical and diagnostic laboratories nationwide. The mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture–National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) is in part to evaluate new technologies and develop standardized processes for deploying these technologies to network laboratories for improving detection and response to emerging and foreign animal diseases. Thus, in 2018, the NAHLN identified the integration of NGS into the network as a top priority. In order to assess the current state of preparedness across NAHLN laboratories and to identify which have the capability for performing NGS, a questionnaire was developed by the NAHLN Methods Technical Working Group and submitted to all NAHLN laboratories in December 2018. Thirty of 59 laboratories completed the questionnaire, of which 18 (60%) reported having some sequencing capability. Multiple sequencing platforms and reagents were identified, and limited standardized quality control parameters were reported. Our results confirm that NGS capacity is available within the NAHLN, but several gaps remain. Gaps include not having sufficient personnel trained in bioinformatics and data interpretation, lack of standardized methods and equipment, and maintenance of sufficient computing capacity to meet the growing demand for this technology.     

安徽省政府购买动物防疫服务实践与对策

安徽省自2003年开展建设基层动物防疫体系试点工作,探索政府购买动物防疫服务的新模式。本文介绍了安徽省政府购买服务的主要内容、承接主体、购买形式等,指出了在政策体系、承接主体、财政保障等方面存在的难题,建议通过完善政策,加强队伍建设与宣传培训,强化考核和监管,进一步推进基层动物防疫体制建设。     

基于动物福利的实验动物管理

动物福利包括实验动物福利、农场动物福利、野生动物福利等。目前,越来越多的实验动物被应用到科学研究当中,实验动物福利也受到了各国研究者的重视。在实验动物管理中,环境调控、日常饲养管理及动物实验等方面皆应考虑动物福利,环境因素主要包括温度、湿度、噪音、空气质量和光照等;日常饲养管理包括动物的饲料与饮水、运输、人员培训等;动物实验方面应遵从3R原则。我国实验动物的福利事业已经展开,《实验动物的法律保护》的建议稿已于2010年提出,鉴于国内外动物福利的现状分析,我国建立实验动物福利标准势在必行。     

新疆动物卫生监督实验室信息管理系统的建立与应用

为提高实验室的工作效率,新疆维吾尔自治区动物卫生监督所开发了实验室信息管理系统(LIMS),并于2015年12月上线运行。LIMS运行于新疆动物卫生监督所内部网络,其授权客户登陆部分发布在外网。该系统采用完全B/S架构,使用信息管理技术建立了动物疫病监测和流行病学调查数据库,可以对数据进行统计利用,具有系统集成、离线地图、统计查询、结果导入等技术特点,实现了对实验的全过程监控,保证了检测数据的完整性、真实性和客观性,提高了工作效率和管理水平。同时利用数据统计功能,实现了疫情预警预报。今后,该系统还需在移动采样、功能拓展、信息拓展、大数据平台应用和疫情预警方面进一步优化。