Workshop Sept 2007

National Animal Health Strategy
Multi-partner Workshop

September 18-19, 2007

September 2007 Workshop Summary Report

< Part 2: Defining the NAHS Scope

Table of Contents

Part 4: Suggestions : Next Steps >

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Part 3 – Common Key Focus Areas

Each group was invited to present the results from their deliberations on Step 4 back to the plenary.  Once these results were shared, each breakout group identified 2 individuals to attend a late afternoon exercise to eliminate duplicate ideas and establish a common set of KEY FOCUS AREA statements. 

There were 12 KEY FOCUS AREAS that emerged from this consolidation exercise.

1.  Governance:
An effective means to make decisions, coordinate activities and resolve disputes

2.  Infrastructure:
The ability to identify the infrastructure needs and to establish a funding mechanism to implement and support a sustainable and valid disease and animal health management system throughout Canada

3.  Surveillance:
A new surveillance system that utilizes several methods across species and jurisdictions that includes the determinants of health, all of which satisfies the objectives of the NAHS.  Surveillance encompasses reporting, analysis, dissemination and action. 

4.  Preparedness: The capacity and resources to anticipate, plan, simulate, practise and detect animal health issues relevant to NAHS priorities

5.  Animal Health and Welfare Promotion: A spectrum of programs, policies and resources that will build resilient and productive animal populations

6.  Education and Communication: An education system that anticipates and adapts to the changing needs of the veterinary infrastructure and animal owners to minimize the impact of animal disease 

7.  Harmonization of regulations and policies:  Not defined

8.  Research: Decision making and prioritization of research to support animal health

9.  Partnership: The ability to reach all stakeholders to coordinate and integrate our collective efforts

10.  Framework: Developing an explicit mechanism to evaluate and make decisions regarding resource allocation.

11. Public Health: Not defined

12. Ecosystem Health: Not defined

The consolidation activity entailed regrouping the breakout groups' proposed Key Focus Area according to their similarities and like-mindedness.  These categories were presented to participants during the second morning in a plenary session.   Appendix 1 provides a transcript of the consolidation exercise.

Comments on Key Focus Areas

There were many comments on the need to conduct a further refinement of these Key Focus Areas.  They are summarized as follows:

• Three lines emerged: policy, operational guidelines and governance.
• The groups liked that we are using science as a base
• Funding is highlighted in several parts of the consolidation exercise.  It is important.
• Whatever we do has to be set wisely in a world of trade.  However, we cannot allow a trade initiative to affect animal health in Canada (e.g. cod fishery).
• Although this is a Canadian Strategy, are there any aspects that move beyond Canada?  Do we have an international role?
• There are 3 approaches to international outreach that should be considered in the NAHS: leadership, knowledge and aide.
• Resources for prevention should be provided.  Prevention has been overlooked in the key focus areas.
• How does the the NAHS figure in food safety, wildlife service and public health.
• The NAHS should be designed to help us focus our effort, set priorities and develop a business case.
• Priorities should be as follows: public health, economics linked to livelihoods, and animals as sentinels for the environment (ecosystem health).
• These focus areas could form a comprehensive Strategy. 
• The Key Focus Areas are a mixture of things – the hows and the whats.  This will need to be refined.
• The Key Focus Areas talk to both the big picture and the pieces of the system, such as infrastructure and tools.
• Ensure the NAHS focuses on the macro.
• Clearly state upfront the focus on economic health.
• No contentious issues 
• Much of what was said already exists and just needs to be pulled together
• Very today oriented – not thinking to the future
• Remarkable coverage of all the current issues
• Project is in good hands based on the output
• Seeing the result, we feel much better about the project and the strategy development process
• Not a lot of industry issues have been documented
• Most of the ideas are here.  If we accomplish all this and incorporate in the NAHS, we will get a long way down the road.
• It does measure up with other international efforts
• Define terminology.  We are mixing background, outcomes and drivers in the key focus areas.
• These key focus areas are too government focus.  We need to recognize the non-government part of society (i.e. the animal stewards).
• This tends to focus on animals under human care.  Research, companion, farms, rather than wildlife.
• Administration of the Programs is missing.  This is not the same as governance.

1. Governance:

• The Aboriginal perspective has to be recognized in the NAHS. However, Aboriginal partnerships will require important investments, specifically, in the areas of surveillance, governance, preparedness, and partnership.
• Ensure decisions are science and evidence based.
• This focus area should include the communication process to/of stakeholders in implementing the NAHS to raise its profile.
• We need guiding principles for governance.
• Governance is a "game stopper.”
• We need a dispute resolution process.

2.  Infrastructure

• For all focus areas, consider investments already made on infrastructure.

3.  Surveillance:

• selected vertebrates should read prioritized vertebrates

4.  Preparedness:

• include emergency measures
• look at biosecurity again as part of this focus area

5.  Animal Health and Welfare Promotion:

• Face the challenge presented by animal activists; it will fundamentally increase the scope of the NAHS beyond manageability.
• Avoid using the words protect rights.  Instead, use we have the responsibility to minimize suffering for animals under our care.
• Eliminate any reference to animal rights.  This expression is divisive.  We should reference the intrinsic value of animals and substitute protection for right.
• At high level, we all do have an interest in animal health and welfare.

6.  Education and Communication:

• one of the fundamentals of the NAHS
• Communication needs to be linked to all key focus areas.
• Separate public education from communication awareness campaign

7.  Harmonization of regulations and policies:

• Consider the purpose.  We may focus on requirements for trade purposes but do something differently for domestic purposes.
• Develop standards domestically first, then go international
• Harmonization is a dirty word in some circles, use integrate or align instead.

8.  Research:

• The NAHS has to be science-driven and work with societal issues as well.
• It is not clearly understood how we will bring together social issues, technology and science.
• Will research provisions need to change?

9.  Partnership:

• Like scope, this is a horizontal area.
• one of the fundamentals of the NAHS

10.  Framework:

• no specific comment on this focus area

11.  Public Health:

• There appears to be a disconnect between public health, veterinarians roles, companion animals and household.

12.  Ecosystem Health:

• Pay attention to avoid having wildlife perceived as a "bag of disease"...
• Recognize the intrinsic value of wildlife, and ensure that the health and welfare of these animals are considered in the balance when making decisions.
• Avoid limiting the NAHS to vertebrates.