Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program 2 (TFAP2)
How did the program work?
The Tuberculosis Freedom Assurance Program 2 (TFAP2) was a four-year surveillance program (2003-2006) that is essentially a continuation of the highly successful TFAP.
The objectives of TFAP2 were:
- To maintain Australia’s internationally recognised bovine TB Free Area status by:
- Continuing to implement a surveillance program that meets OIE standards
- Eliminating any detected cases of TB
- To identify appropriate post-2006 arrangements to continue to deliver the objectives above and manage progressive implementation of these arrangements.
The program included abattoir and field surveillance activities and some parts reverted to less rigid program structures in preparation for a transition to a general disease surveillance program by end of 2006. The major outcomes of the program that were delivered by December 2006 include:
- Establishing an ongoing surveillance program that meets OIE surveillance requirements for a Bovine Tuberculosis Free Area under the Animal Disease Surveillance Program operated by Animal Health Australia
- Entering into a long term agreement with an appropriate institution for the ongoing provision of culture and typing services and storage of the national M bovis culture collection http://www.scahls.org.au/ (Australian Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis – Western Australia)
- Obtaining agreement on a set of Standard Definitions and Rules between the stakeholders to be applied when dealing with the eradication of bovine TB in 2007 and beyond (in the Bovine TB Case Response Manual)
- Documenting a consolidation of the States’ and Territories’ legislative responsibilities to eradicate any occurrence of the disease from cattle in their jurisdiction (completed)
- Obtaining agreement on appropriate arrangements between the Parties to fund the provision of compensation and, if appropriate, the provision of financial assistance measures, to owners who are required to undertake a TB eradication program (unilateral agreements between jurisdictions and the Cattle Diseases Compensation Fund)
- Arranging an orderly conclusion to the formal national approach to addressing bovine TB through a seamless transition into future arrangements (Animal Health Committee has responsibility for managing policy, response and reference laboratory arrangements).
TFAP2 Final Report.
4th International Conference on Mycobacterium bovis – August 2005
The following documents were presented at the 4th International Conference on Mycobacterium bovis.
- Surveillance Changes During the Latter Stages of Eradication: Experiences from Australia
- Surveillance Changes During the Latter Stages of Eradication: Experiences from Australia (PPT)
Further Information
For further information about TFAP2 please click on the links below:
- National Granuloma Submission Program Report – March 1992 to December 2004
- Search the National Animal Health Information System (NAHIS) for more information on Australia’s animal health status.
Page Updated: 4 January 2007