Future needs for capacity building and recommendations to the OIE

1. Future needs for capacity building and recommendations to the OIE DrSarah Kahn Consultant to the OIE s.kahn@oie.int

2. Contents Background OIE PVS findings Future capacity-building needs Recommendations for consideration by the OIE 2

3. Background (1) 1. High quality veterinary education and good governance of Veterinary Services ..underpin the delivery of animal health programmes that help to protect public health and ensure food safety. In addition, improved animal health and welfare helps to assure more efficient livestock production and contributes to national food security. .. should be top priorities of government. 3

4. Background (2) 2. The need for the veterinary profession in future to collaborate more actively with professionals in the fields of human health, wildlife and environmental health to achieve objectives relating to One World One Health. 4

5. OIE PVS findings on veterinary education Global results : competence of veterinarians 75% fall into levels 1 – 3 inclusive (55% fall into level 3 – 5). For continuing education, 90% of countries fall into levels 1 to 3 inclusive. 5

6. OIE PVS findings on VSB (2006 – 13) Of the 112 countries considered in the OIE analysis, approx. 40% are at the lowest level of advancement : there is no legislation establishing a VSB. About 75% of countries are in levels 1 to 3: if there is a VSB, it does not comply with all OIE recommendations.

7. Future capacity building needs (1) There is a need to continue developing appropriate OIE standards and guidelines, and to promote their implementation, notably on matters relevant to veterinary education and good governance. New Delegates and designated Focal points need access to ongoing capacity building to help countries to comply with the obligations of OIE membership. 7

8. Future capacity building needs (2) Many countries that train veterinarians need to improve the quality of veterinary education. Many countries need to establish and enforce educational requirements to hold a license to practice veterinary medicine. This is the role of the Veterinary Statutory Body. Many countries are in need of capacity building to help them to implement the standards and recommendations of the OIE on veterinary education and VSBs. Use of the OIE Twinning programmes can help to meet this need. 8

9. Future capacity building needs (3) Countries that have no VSB should take steps to establish one. Capacity building may be needed to help countries prepare adequate legislation that gives the VSB the necessary independence and authority, as well as the means to administer relevant laws. Countries may use the OIE Veterinary Legislation Support Programme, following an initial PVS Evaluation. Countries that have a VSB / VSBs should encourage them to comply with the OIE recommendations in Article 3.2.12. Use of the OIE twinning programme for VSBs should be considered as an effective approach to capacity building. 9

10. Future capacity building needs (4) Considering that some countries may not be able to establish VEEs of acceptable quality in the short to medium term, there is a need to improve the mobility of competent veterinarians within regions and in some cases between regions. Accordingly, there is a need to promote: arrangements for mutual recognition of veterinary qualifications; harmonisedapproaches to basic veterinary competencies, and harmonisedapproaches to the evaluation and accreditation of VEEs. 10

11. Future capacity building needs (5) Considering the variable quality of veterinary education establishments and the high cost of good quality veterinary education, there is a need for advocacy on behalf of the veterinary profession, to convince governments and donors to make the needed investments. There is a need for well thought out national policies, including strategic consideration of the number of veterinarians that will be needed in future, and capacity to train them. The national Veterinary Services and VSB must be involved in the development of these policies. 11

12. Future capacity building needs (6) National policies on VE should consider: the need to provide continuing education to all veterinarians in the public and private sector the need for specific training of private veterinarians to hold accreditation by the Veterinary Authority. Accreditation should be based on training and tested competence, and these should be updated periodically. Harmonisation of national standards for VE with regional standards, as appropriate, and with the OIE standards and recommendations, can be a goal of an OIE twinning programme for VEE and for VSB. 12

13. Future capacity building needs (7) There is a need for closer collaboration and better coordination between veterinary education establishments, national Veterinary Services and Veterinary Statutory Bodies. Many countries need to modernise the national veterinary legislation to empower the Veterinary Services to operate in a manner that complies with the OIE recommendations, including those on good veterinary governance. 13

14. Future capacity building needs (8) In some cases, updating of the legislation needs to be accompanied by investment in human and physical resources so that the VS have the capacity to implement new legal requirements. Countries should consider using the PVS Pathway, including the PVS Gap Analysis and PVS Costing Tool and the OIE Veterinary Legislation Support Programme, to build capacity of the VS, VEE and VSB. 14

15. Recommendations to the OIE (1) Continue to develop and implement the PVS Pathway using all associated supporting mechanisms. Continue to work closely with Member Countries and regional and global organisations to support efforts to improve the quality of veterinary education (both initial and ongoing) and harmonised approaches to the recognition of qualifications by relevant institutions, including through the activities of VSBs. 15

16. Recommendations to the OIE (2) Increase its collaborative activities with governments and donors to support countries who wish to participate in twinning agreements for VEEs and for their national VSB or equivalent body complying with international standards. Within the framework of the PVS Pathway, consider the creation or strengthening of mechanisms supporting the evaluation of the quality of all veterinarians on the basis of their initial and continuing education, particularly where recognised systems for evaluation of education do not currently apply. 16

17. Recommendations to the OIE (3) Encourage the creation, if necessary, of regional associations with the participation of VSBs or equivalent organisations with authority for accrediting VEEs, which could facilitate the establishment of a list of VEEs that would be subject to regional accreditation after appropriate external audit. This audit would be based on criteria accepted throughout the region and consistent with the OIE recommendations, to facilitate the mobility of veterinarians as appropriate. 17

18. Recommendations to the OIE (4) Develop guidelines on best practices in the organisation and functioning of VSBs, including the legislative base, the constitution of the VSBs and the establishment of public-private veterinary partnerships, for information of OIE Member Countries and relevant regional and international organisations. 18

19. Recommendations to the OIE (5) Continue raising awareness of the important role of public and private sector components of national VS, the veterinary profession and other partners. Continue working in partnership with governments and donors to encourage them to make sustainable investments to strengthen the quality and performance of public and private components of VS. 19

20. Recommendations to the OIE (6) Liaise with Member Countries to establish a global list of recognised, active VEEs within their territories, including relevant information that is updated periodically. Consider means of enhancing existing OIE communication materials, including the possible development of on-line information and other tools to help OIE Delegates and nominated national Focal Points to participate more effectively in the OIE procedures. 20

21. Recommendations to the OIE (7) In liaison with relevant regional and international Organisations: a) take steps to encourage and support collaboration between VSBs or equivalent bodies , relevant official national or regional accrediting agencies, and VEEs, in order to harmonise the evaluation of education programmes. The goal is to facilitate regional integration of education systems and regional mobility of veterinarians, especially for the countries that do not have access to veterinary education and training programmes that comply with OIE recommendations; 21

22. Recommendations to the OIE (8) In liaison with relevant regional and international Organisations: b) encourage stronger cooperation between the animal health and human health education systems, with a view to achieving objectives relating to One Health. c) prioritise needed investments in the infrastructure of veterinary education to achieve a sustainable strengthening of public and private sector components of the national VS. 22

23. Thank you for your attention Organisation mondialede la santé animale World Organisation for Animal Health Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal 23