REVIEW OF THE ANIMAL HEALTH SYSTEM

DEPARTMENT: AGRICULTURE

REVIEW OF THE ANIMAL HEALTH

SYSTEM

REVIEW OF THE ANIMAL HEALTH

SYSTEM

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

19 November 2004


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INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Livestock production relies heavily on the availability of accessible, efficient and quality animal health advisory [veterinary]

Food and Agricultural Organisation estimates that infectious diseases account for a 35 % loss in production efficiency in the developing world Established in 1924

The most vital two functions that must be in place are

• reliable disease surveillance and

• control system that must be backed by a diagnostic service to scientifically verify the claims of disease freedom or give guarantees to our trading partners.


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CHALLENGES CHALLENGES

a stark difference in the quality, nature and accessibility of veterinary a stark difference in the quality, nature and accessibility of veterinary services available to farmers. services available to farmers.

livestock production in the black farming sector has been confined livestock production in the black farming sector has been confined predominantly within the communal areas.predominantly within the communal areas.

Success –look at histrory Success –look at histrory

To a large extent this situation was enabled by four factors:To a large extent this situation was enabled by four factors:

• an integrated national veterinary service,an integrated national veterinary service,

• intergrated training for veterinarians which was more linked to research intergrated training for veterinarians which was more linked to research and Department of agriculture and Department of agriculture

• an up-to-date animal disease surveillance system,an up-to-date animal disease surveillance system,

• a diagnostic, referral and research service and a vaccine production a diagnostic, referral and research service and a vaccine production facility of high qualityfacility of high quality


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POST 1994 POST 1994

The new constitutional imperatives

• In Schedule 4 (Part A) “animal control and diseases” is identified as a functional area of concurrent national and provincial legislative competence.

• In Schedule 5 (Part A) of the Constitution, “abattoirs” and “veterinary services excluding regulation of the profession” and

• in Schedule 5 (Part B) “municipal abattoirs” are identified as functional areas of exclusive provincial legislative competence.

• Section 156 further makes provision to assign these functions to municipalities.

This led to fragmentation of the existing veterinary services, which

• could not deliver quality services and

• Give guarantees for animal health and import and export control

Opening of international markets

• an increase in the volume of livestock and products across the borders and increased incidence of illegal imports and uncontrolled movement of animals


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CHALLENGES:REGULATORY SERVICES – (perception)CHALLENGES:REGULATORY SERVICES – (perception)

The current disarray developed because of the decentralised provincial management of veterinary services which has resulted in:

Inadequate disease surveillance because of

• Decentralised management

• The different priorities of the individual provincial authorities

• Different reporting systems

• Continued restructuring of veterinary services – led to lack of no line of command.

• Lack of human and financial resources, and

• Decrease in quality and functionality of diagnostic laboratories (OVI and provincial laboratories)

• Insufficient co-ordinated Animal disease data management systems

• Fragmented delivery of Veterinary public health activities

• Import and export control (including border control) and certification are questionable

• Inconsistent disease control policies at the provincial level.


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DIAGNOSTIC DIAGNOSTIC

Fragmentation of veterinary services has led to

• Un-coordinated provincial laboratory activities

• Untrained veterinary laboratory staff ( Veterinarains being appointed straight from the university into laboratories)

• The decline in the capacity of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute to act as a national reference laboratory also has led to the inability to co-ordinate provincial laboratory functions

• The lack of human resources, infrastructure, laboratory apparatus and support staff to sustain the activities of the provincial regional and state veterinary laboratories on an adequate level


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HUMAN RESOURCES HUMAN RESOURCES

There are numerous vacancies for veterinarians and technologists in the regulatory and laboratory divisions of the National Department of Agriculture and in the Provincial Departments.

The fragmentation of services also has led to :

• Lack of incentives at the national level to attract staff

• Lack of recognition of specialist (despite the approval of specialist with the national department of agriculture

• No provision is made for career paths

• Competition between national and provinces and within provinces on recruiting staff and unco-ordinated recruitment policies

• The lack of recognition that the coordination of National functions bare more weight than activities at provincial level –Concept of CVO


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LESSONS TO BE LEARNED LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

FMD in Limpopo Avian Influenza in Eastern Cape and Western Cape


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OPTION 1- Creation of one veterinary systemOPTION 1- Creation of one veterinary system

To be able to achieve this the Department of agriculture will have to:

• Review the constitution

• Create one national office and 9 regional offices –line of command

• Strengthen the capacity of the central office to co-ordinate activities

• Strengthen the ability of the Provincial governments to audit, and monitor the services rendered in Provinces to enhance the acceptance of our sanitary guarantees

• Incorporate all the regulatory activities currently performed by Provinces into the national Veterinary services

• Create a central veterinary laboratory at OVI which will co-ordinate activities and rationalise services in the provinces


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ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES This will result in the establishment of one contact point and well-coordinated and

better disease reporting mechanism. It will be easier to harmonize on control measures, movement controls and

certification of animals and animal products across provinces. There will be a national early warning system across borders and disease outbreaks

will be controlled across borders. There will be free movement of animals within the borders of South Africa with less

administrative controls There will be one Veterinary certification at the point of origin The regulatory diseases will not be determined by select stakeholder groups of

farmers but there will be a predetermined set of objective criteria which will ensure proper classification of diseases

There will be a well coordinated budgeting system for regulatory activities One veterinary system will communicating with the international trading partners

instead of ten Directors in the province doing so. The one Veterinary system will be able to justify and render the animal and public

health sanitary guarantees and assurances The existing competition between provinces will be minimized


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DISADVANTAGESDISADVANTAGES

This system will have increased budget demands

It could be perceived as complex

It will result in duplication of activities especially if there is lack of clarity between a national system and the auditing functions by provinces


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OPTION 2OPTION 2

Leave the current concurrent function between the Department of agriculture and provincial departments as it is

In addition

Strengthen the Department of agriculture Directorate of Veterinary services to provide leadership, norms and standards, auditing of provinces and international liaison(import and export)

Review all veterinary functions transferred to SAAFQS and Food safety

Create a strong auditing system to monitor provincial activities

Place veterinarians in provinces who can

• o Report directly to Department of agriculture

• o Monitor activities in the provinces

• o Assist in the national intervention on outbreak of diseases

Enforce the communication protocol on outbreak of animal diseases with placement of veterinarians

Strengthen the legislation –service level agreements


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ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES

Each province will be accountable for any disease outbreak control and eradication thereof (penalties for loss of export markets would need to be determined and applied)

The provincial departments of agriculture will be able to know where their priorities are and budget for that accordingly

The veterinary services will be closer to the people


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DISADVANTAGESDISADVANTAGES

This could result in

Duplication of activities with possible multiple reporting system to the provincial head of departments and to the directorate of

Veterinary services as it is currently

Uncoordinated and budgeting system for disease control

Provinces will continue to restructure veterinary services-

Each province will continue to do whatever what they want continue to lead to uncoordinated services (“elke een vir himself “concept will apply)

Delay in reporting animal diseases will continue and this will lead to further dissemination of animal diseases across provincial borders

There will be Inadequate guarantees for international trade.


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RECOMMENDATIONRECOMMENDATION

OPTION 1

Option one is recommended however the discussions with legal services indicated that success rate for the review of the constitution is minimal

This will need additional financial resources

REVIEW OF THE ANIMAL HEALTH SYSTEM

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