VETERINARY LEGISLATION
DEVELOPMENT IN
BHUTAN
Tenzin Dhendup
Director General
DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK
Ministry of Agriculture and Forests
Royal Government of Bhutan
Bhutan
OIE Global Conference on Veterinary Legislation
Djerba, Tunisia (7th to 9th December 2010)
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Introduction
BHUTAN
20205
Dzongkhags
Geogs
Area= ~39,000 sq km
6 agro ecological zones
Altitude = 200 to 7500 metres
Population: ~7,00,000
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Governance
• 2008: Constitutional Democracy
• Guiding Development Philosophy: GNH
– Socio-economic development
– Preservation of culture, tradition, heritage
– Environmental conservation
– Good governance
• GNH accords higher priority than GDP
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Livestock Development
• Livestock farming -integral part of Bhutanese
farming system
• 69% Agrarian of which 99% own livestock
• Changing subsistence to market oriented
farming system
• Livestock farming contributes to 7% of GDP
• More infrastructure development in pipeline
• Opportunities for international collaboration
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Institutions & Roles
• Department of Livestock
– Authority for Veterinary & Livestock Services
• Bhutan Agriculture & Food Regulatory
Authority
– Regulatory aspects & food safety
(import/export/certifications/border control)
• Drug Regulatory Authority of Bhutan
– encompasses veterinary drugs / biological under
Bhutan Medicine Act
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Evaluation of VS using OIE PVS tools
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March’ 2008 - Official request sent to OIE
April’ 2008 - Evaluation team proposed
First quarter of June’ 2008 – Actual evaluation
Team members:
– Dr. Peter Fernandez (Team Leader)
– Ms. Dagmar Heim
• Evaluation report widely circulated and
discussed among colleagues
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
OIE PVS Findings: Strengths
• Good institutional set up from national to subdistrict level
• Veterinary drug control system in place - DRA
• Availability of disease control programs &
reporting System
• Good collaboration with relevant
stakeholders/ organizations
• Good quarantine facilities for BAFRA
• Community Animal Health Workers available
in remote areas
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
OIE PVS Findings: Weakness
• Shortage of veterinarians, Para-professionals,
• Absence of animal health policies, no
veterinary statutory body, rudimentary VS
legislation
• Non-existent quality control mechanisms
(veterinary medicines, biologicals, residue
testing programs)
• Poor linkages between animal health and
veterinary control & public health
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Initiatives following OIE PVS exercise
• Based on the evaluation report, PVS GAP
analysis was requested
• 5th – 13th November 2009 – PVS GAP analysis
• Team members
– Eric Fermet-Quinet (Team Leader)
– Alexandre Bouchot
– Peter Fernandez
• Gap Analysis report circulated to all
stakeholders
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Reform in Vet. Services: Institutions
Ministry of Agriculture & Forests
Department of Livestock
Livestock Health Division
NCAH
Dzongkhag
NAH
RLDC
DLO
DVH
CVH
SVL
Administrative control
LEC/RNREC
Technical control
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Laboratory Network
NCAH
RLDCs
SVLs
Existing
DVLs
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Initiatives following OIE PVS exercise
• Draft Animal Health Policy
• Draft Veterinary and Livestock
Council Act
• Centralization of drugs, vaccine and
equipment
• Training of Veterinarians in India
• Institutionalize
– Regional Livestock Development
Centers
– District Veterinary Laboratory
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Initiatives following OIE PVS exercise
• Project based on OIE Gap Analysis
– Human Resource Development.
– Infrastructure and facilities Development
– Disease Prevention and Control Program
• One health hub initiatives
– Risk based strategies for the prevention and
control of emerging and re-emerging zoonoses
and animal diseases with impact on food security
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Veterinary Legislations
PEACE IN COUNTRY
Good Legislation + Good Governance + Good Institutions
Effective Implementation
• Relevant Legislations in place
– The Livestock Acts of Kingdom of Bhutan 2001
– The Bhutan Medicine Act 2003
– The Food Act of Kingdom of Bhutan 2005
– Livestock Rules and regulations 2008
– Bhutan Medicines Rules and Regulations 2005
– The Food Rules and Regulations 2006
Legislation needs to be harmonized to international standard
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
OIE support to Veterinary Legislation
• Jan 2008 – Official request to OIE
• OIE mission fielded in November 2008: Preliminary Visit
– Dr. Martial Petitclerc
– Dr. Eric Fermet Quinet
• Second mission fielded in April 2009: Report received
dated July 29, 2009, indicating future support in
legislation
– Dr. Jean Louis Duby
– Dr. Martial Petitclerc
• Draft MOU accepted by RGOB
• Task force formed in Bhutan
• Internal review and amendment of existing rules and
regulations
• MOU to be signed between OIE and RGOB
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Way Forward – OIE/ Bhutan
• OIE PVS evaluation is helpful in prioritization and
streamlining of veterinary services
– Help to mobilize fund support from Government
– OIE to assist in acquiring fund from international donor
• Legislation support
– Modernize veterinary legislation
– Strengthen VS to help meet the OIE standards
– Country capable to deal new threats due to increased
trade, climate change, and the emergence and reemergence of diseases etc.
• OIE & Member States (Bhutan) sign MOU for
better harmonization of Veterinary Legislation
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Acknowledgements
• OIE for fielding
– Experts for PVS evaluation
– Experts for OIE PVS evaluation
– Experts to support veterinary legislation
• OIE/ JSTF Project to support advanced
laboratory diagnosis
• OIE and Tunisian Government for hosting this
global conference
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010
Thank You !!!
Modernizing Veterinary Legislation for Good Governance: Djerba, Tunisia, 7-9 December 2010