National Animal Health Laboratory Network
Overall aim
The development and delivery of a national animal health laboratory service capability for the effective control of animal diseases of major importance to Australia.
Objectives
The National Animal Health Laboratory Network aims to improve Australia’s ability to:
- define and monitor the occurrence of animal diseases in Australia
- detect and identify new and emerging diseases in Australia
- respond to outbreaks of emergency animal diseases in Australia
- train and retain the range of laboratory specialists required to staff Australia’s animal health laboratories
- maintain access to domestic and international markets for livestock and livestock products.
The National Animal Health Laboratory Network will do this by:
- ensuring rapid and accurate diagnosis of exotic, endemic, new and emerging animal diseases and other harmful conditions that threaten human and animal health, food safety and quality, market access, animal welfare, animal productivity, biodiversity, wildlife health and national biosecurity
- identifying and maximising opportunities for collaboration between Commonwealth, state/territory, university and private laboratories, and strengthen links with relevant public health and analytical laboratories
- ensuring that the National Animal Health Laboratory system will meet future requirements for on-going disease surveillance, in-depth case investigations and surges in demand for testing during emergency situations
- strengthening the national research capability in animal health, including molecular-level pathology, test development, test standardisation and test validation
- implementing an agreed laboratory information management system based on uniform reporting standards to facilitate the exchange of information
- strengthening training capabilities for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network
- providing an improved source of advice to industry funding bodies on research and development for laboratory tests/services, and contribute to R&D strategies.
Animal Health Australia works closely with the Sub-Committee on Animal Health Laboratory Standards (SCAHLS) and other groups to achieve these objectives.
Further information about SCAHLS is available at www.scahls.org.au.
For further information about the National Animal Health Laboratory Network contact:
Elinor Soames
Animal Health Australia
Phone: (02) 6232 5522
esoames@animalhealthaustralia.com.au
Page Updated: 13 May 2010