1. Dr Tomoko Ishibashi
Science and Technical Department
The OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres and the concept of twinning
Beijing, China, 26 – 27 February 2008

2. OIE Reference Laboratories & Collaborating Centres
designated to pursue all the scientific and technical problems relating to a named disease on the OIE lists
Collaborating centres:
designated to pursue expertise in a specific sphere of competence relating to the management of general questions on animal health issues (e.g. epidemiology, risk analysis, etc.)
Comments (with copyright) / Commentaires (soumis au Copyright) :

3. Reference Laboratories
171 Reference Laboratories in 30 Countries covering 68 terrestrial and 25 aquatic diseases:
Function as expert centre for that specific disease
Store and distribute reference reagents
Conduct and validate diagnostic tests
Gather, analyse and disseminate
epizootiological data
Provide training
Place expert consultants
at the disposal of the OIE
Comments (with copyright) / Commentaires (soumis au Copyright) :

4. OIE Reference Laboratories 2007

5. Collaborating Centres
24 Collaboration Centres in 14 Countries:
Operate as a centre of research, expertise, standardisation and dissemination of technique
Propose /develop procedures which will facilitate harmonisation
Provide training to personnel from OIE Members
Place expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE
Emerging diseases
Animal welfare
Various topics
for CCs
Comments (with copyright) / Commentaires (soumis au Copyright) :
Training of Veterinary Services
Surveillance
ELISA
etc….

6. OIE Collaborating Centres 2007

7. Summary table of OIE Reference Laboratories
and Collaborating Centres 2007
Reference Laboratories
Collaborating Centres
Number
171 24
Countries 30 14
Diseases /
Topics 93 22
Experts
146

8. Application procedures for Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centers
OIE Delegates
Director General
Specialists Commissions
Administrative Commission
International Committee
For Collaborating Centers, relevant Regional Commission may also be involved.
Valid for 4 years
approval

9. use of the title “OIE Reference Laboratory”
Rights and obligations of Reference laboratories and Collaborating Centres
Internal rules
Article 5 allows:
use of the title “OIE Reference Laboratory”
put OIE emblem on documents
Article 7 requires:
submission of a brief annual report on the activities

10. Further actions: Twinning arrangement
What do we mean with twinning?
Creating a link that facilitates the exchange of knowledge and experience between two laboratories
To increase global laboratory/diagnostic capacity and expertise
Must be demand driven
Must be sustainable when twinning arrangement is terminated

11. Number of Reference Laboratories United States of America
Twinning among OIE Reference Laboratories
Countries with six or more OIE Reference Laboratories
Country
Number of Reference Laboratories
Australia 8
Canada 15
France 16
Germany 12
Italy 9
Japan 13
South Africa 6
United Kingdom 30
United States of America 25

12. Rationale for twinning
Uneven geographical spread – mostly northern hemisphere
More than 70% of the 172 OIE Members are developing/transitional countries
Need for better access to scientific expertise for negotiations, certifications, justification of standard setting

13. Underlying concept of Twinning
Not short-term training, must be sustainable
Medium to long-term arrangement to establish diagnostic capacity for specific disease
Funding targeted in support of project proposal with identified outcome
Potential candidates for OIE Reference Laboratory
No change in obligations of OIE RL’s and CC’s – TOR, funding, regional obligations – as agreed by CVO of country

14. Resolution No.XXI in 2002: The Role of OIE RLs and CCs in Capacity Building for Developing Countries
RLs and CCs shall be encouraged to:
enter into partnerships with developing countries
share scientific knowledge / provide training to laboratories in developing countries
provide expertise in producing vaccines especially those not requiring a cold chain.
provide technical assistance to develop surveillance programmes for disease control
Little progress

15. Acceleration of “twinning concept”
1st International Conference of OIE Reference Laboratories: December 2006, in Brazil
Members agreed the networking and the twinning incentive for laboratories would lead to a more even geographical distribution of veterinary scientific expertise.
75th General Session in May 2007
New Resolution: “The Role of RLs and CCs in Providing Permanent Support for the Objectives and Mandates of the OIE” was adopted
OIE should continue to develop its twinning initiatives..

16. Role players OIE OIE Reference Laboratory (Parent lab)
Support in coordinating project
Funding – World Animal Welfare Fund and donor countries
Facilitate negotiations
Finalise contract and budget
OIE Reference Laboratory (Parent lab)
Driving force
Expert from PL is driver/project leader
Management of budget
Candidate laboratory
Fully committed
Agree to go all the way with partnership
Not a disguise for obtaining funding

17. Twinning process OIE REF. LAB APPLICANT LAB ID possible twinning: Labs
CVO
Reg. office
AGREEMENT
DISEASE/TOPIC
AGREEMENT
HEADS OF BOTH LABS
OFFICIAL DELEGATES
Disease/topic
Regional needs
Managing expert
Budget
Work plan
Communication
Milestones
PROJECT
PROPOSAL
BIOLOGICAL
STANDARDS
COMMISSION
OIE DG
S & T DEPT
DONOUR FUNDING
EVALUATION BUDGET

18. Principles for selecting Parent and Candidate Laboratories
Must be supported by Veterinary Service
Must be related to national/regional need
Parent laboratory must have required level of expertise
Candidate laboratory should have potential to make significant improvements
Location must not affect mutual cooperation
Goals must be realistic
Sustainability – human and financial resources – commitment of Government via CVO – can not be indefinitely donor dependant.

19. Project proposal Proposal to OIE signed by both CVO’s and Directors
Details of team leader and participating experts
CV’s of experts of Parent and Candidate Laboratories
Project plan and timetable (3 year project)
Budget proposal

20. Budget allocation Exclude equipment Travel costs and per diem
Laboratory reagents linked to twinning project
Shipping of diagnostic specimens
Training activities and workshops related to twinning project

21. Project risks Before starting and during project:
Identify project risks
Consider impact on project should they occur
Consider likelihood of occurrence
Consider mitigation actions
Documented contingency plan
(Disease outbreaks, change in management, CVO change, budget cuts)

22. Monitoring performance
Stages/phases approach – reporting during intervals of progress
Interim report – every 4 months
Annual reports
Final report
Post-project review

23. OIE potential twinning projects
Several proposals already received
Three proposals formally signed
Candidate laboratories mostly from Middle and South Asia, Russia, Africa
Most favored diseases. AI, NCD, FMD, Brucellosis
Needs: RVF, Aquatic, AI (Africa, South America)

24. OIE Reference Laboratories 2007

25. Candidate Laboratories on discussion
accepted
proposed
suggested

26. The way forward
Confirmed by BSC – currently restricted to agreement between OIE RL/CC and Candidate Laboratory – prerequisite of donors
Expansion of initiative?
Funding
Coordination with other initiatives for laboratory improvement, capacity building – Alive, UK Foresight project, UNIDO, etc.?

27. World Organisation for Animal Health
12 rue de Prony
75017 Paris, France
Tel: 33 (0)
Fax: 33 (0)