SLSP is Developing an Epidemiological Network in

Pakistan
Disease Surveillance and Reporting System Functional through Epidemiological
network at Federal, Provincial and SLSP target District level.

Dr. Muhammad Rasheed

Disease Reporting Consultant
SLSP
Vdrpk2005@[Link]

1. Introduction

With trade increasing its importance on the economy of each country to exist in
global village, it’s necessary to give proof of animal health status based on
credible surveillance and reporting system. The same applies on the control,
eradication of any globally important disease or to keep the disease or infection
free status intact. Pakistan has the same obligations as it has submitted its
application for the recognition of Rinderpest infection free country to
International Animal Health Organization (OIE).

The effective establishment, and operation of a wide scale animal disease

surveillance and reporting system is a complex undertaking that involves
capture and reporting of high quality and needed data from a variety of sources.
The functionality of Epidemiological Network needs the accurate entry of
reported data into a computerised Disease Information System, the production
of summary reports, the evaluation of findings and recommendations and the
submission of these to the decision makers.

Field data relating to the presence of any livestock disease can, and should,
come from primary source i.e livestock owner and field veterinarians. The data
from the lines of investigation should complement each other but need not be
identical. Data from these two sources must be evaluated, confirmed, perhaps
investigated further and eventually used to prioritise Departmental response
strategies and the allocation of funds. The above tasks can only be competently
undertaken by a permanently established, and adequately resourced veterinary
epidemiology unit that has qualified and capable staff, who can devote
themselves fulltime to the management of the Federal, provincial and targeted
districts Epidemiological Units. These Epidemiology Units shall work towards
improving the standards and efficiency of animal disease and reporting system
in the Pakistan by informing International and national agencies, decision-
makers through provision of timely, appropriate and required information.

This concept of Epidemiological network making the Disease Surveillance and

reporting System Functional is an essence of consultancy reports of National and
International consultants worked under FAO and EU projects from time to time.

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The responsibility as coordinator for the activities of Result 2 of SLSP is a
challenge for me and surely the goal will be achieved with the coordination of
National, Provincial and Target District staff in the best interest of Livestock
Department and profession.

1.1. Why Functional Disease Surveillance and Reporting System is

needed in Pakistan?

Different consultancy reports indicated the needs of functional disease

surveillance and reporting system in Pakistan;

• To get better animal disease control, this is necessary for increasing the
productivity of the livestock sector and improving the livelihood of
farmers, livestock owners at village level.

• The functional Disease Surveillance and reporting system will improve

access to external markets for bilateral trade.

• To keep update to the national and international agencies for newly

emerging disease for control and eradications planning under food
security concept.

• To plan future strategies for prophylactics measures in context with the

vaccine production and campaigns.

1.2. Pakistan’s deficiencies to establish functional disease

Surveillance and Reporting system

The visiting consultants gathered the deficiencies/ problems through conducting

workshops, meeting with higher-ups of livestock departments and field
veterinarians. They all concluded with the following problems / deficiencies in
establishing the functional disease surveillance and reporting system in Pakistan.

• Insufficient Resources to establish Epidemiological network covering

disease surveillance and reporting up to the international standard was
identified as a main problem.

• Absence of clear policies & strategies for animal health in general and for
contagious disease in special.

• Devolution of political authority to district level makes animal health

control difficult in disease reporting and administrative channels do not
coincide in enforcement of departmental policies.

• Lack of awareness among Livestock owners to report timely and reliably.

• No or Little obligation and incentive for VOs & VAs to report as their job
description making many reports inadequate.

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 • No feed back from provincial or national laboratories/authorities on
submission of samples/reports by the field staff making the whole
exercise of disease reporting unnecessary.

• District diagnostic laboratories are often non-functional and performing

faecal testing.

• Poor interaction between extension & research wings of the Veterinary

Service/ livestock department.

• Disease information from private sector, especially from poultry, not

included in data collection.

• No desire from the national authorities for disease surveillance and

reporting with guidance and requirements.

• No established Federal Epidemiology Unit to collate & analyze the

epidemiological data.

2. Existing components of an Epidemiological Network

Livestock disease surveillance and reporting system under proposed

Epidemiological network is a comprehensive Veterinary Investigation Service
(VIS) which has been derived from the consultancy reports of Drs. Peter
Moorhouse, Roy Halliwel, Gavin Thomson, Berhanu Bedane, William Taylor and
Arshad Mahmood. That’s the system which any country needs if it is to develop
an on-going understanding of its livestock diseases, their impact on the national
economy, how they can be controlled and at what cost. The components of an
epidemiological Network are;

• A passive disease surveillance system

• A basic disease diagnostic system
• A National diagnostic referral system
• The ability to mount active disease surveillance
• The ability to undertake national strategic research
• A management group integrating the outputs from the various systems
• A national decision-taking forum benefiting from the results generated by
the Epidemiological network.

2.1. The Passive Disease surveillance System

This is a system whereby the incidence of disease is estimated on the basis of

outbreak reports from the field. Reports originate only because a livestock
keeper has contacted the Livestock Department for assistance and in this
respect they act only as a mirror of events in the field. To be of any significant
value this system must provide a comprehensive and continuous set of reports.

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The information available under this system does not come from active searches
for the disease but only what the local VO reflects in his monthly reports.

The passive monitoring system exists at national (MINFAL) level based on

monitoring reports received from the Provinces. It appears to function only to
satisfy the international obligations of an OIE member state to indicate the
annual inventory of livestock diseases in the country or to report the recent
occurrence of a disease of international importance. It does not appear to be
linked to the development of either Provincial or National policies and is
therefore generally regarded as having little relevance to the affairs of the
country.

2.2. The Basic Disease Diagnostic System

Within the Livestock Departments of AJK, NAs, NWFP, Punjab, Sindh and
Balochistan a series of disease investigation laboratories (DILs) exist. These are
poorly equipped, staffed by officers with limited exposure to the correct training
and under funded to run the routine tests with consumables. They lack facilities
for investigating outbreaks. In essence they can function only at a local level
undertaking worm egg counts, haematology and some basic bacteriology. Roy
Halliwell’s report suggests that the vast majority of the results they produce are
of little value and sometimes misleading. Thus they can offer some limited
assistance to the farmer but cannot provide a confirmed diagnosis of the
presence of any major diseases.

There are no linkages between the laboratories of the different Provincial

Livestock Departments or Research Wings (VRIs) and with National Veterinary
laboratories at Islamabad.

2.3. The National Livestock Disease Referral System

With the creation of the National Veterinary Laboratories in Islamabad, a

national livestock diseases referral system is being built. The NVL can provide a
diagnostic service for HS, Rinderpest and PPR (but not virus isolation) and a
typing service for FMD. Within a National Veterinary Investigation Service this
laboratory could be a key component of Federal Epidemiological Unit. This wpuld
be a strong unit able to co-ordinate an understanding of the epidemiology of
major disease of livestock across the country.

2.4. The Disease investigation and Surveillance System

There is no institutionalised livestock disease investigation and surveillance

system in Pakistan. Under their original mandate it appears that Veterinary
Research Institutes across the country were charged with undertaking vaccine
manufacture, disease diagnosis, disease surveillance and disease investigation.
Now Pakistan has submitted its application for Rinderpest infection free status to
OIE, so to keep determine freedom from Rinderpest disease and freedom from
Rinderpest infection, the Epidemiological network programme had to consist of a

4
component i.e a series of searches for evidence of clinical and serological
investigations of Transboundry Animal Disease especially for Rinderpest or
Rinderpest like disease across the villages of the entire country.

In spite of their mandate it was apparent that the Veterinary Research Institutes
did not participate in any national surveillance or disease investigation network.
Therefore they could not be given the task of searching the villages. This
workload was taken up by the Livestock Departments under a specially
introduced programme of participatory disease surveillance in last four year
under FAO/PAK/088-EC and SLSP EU projects.

At the present time then, there is no practical National Disease Surveillance

System. A proposal for the development of an Epidemiological Network with a
disease surveillance and reporting system will be implemented in year 4 of SLSP.
Work plan is attached as Annex

3. Ownership by Government of Pakistan for future Developments

Before a fully functional Epidemiological Network can be developed by SLSP

under its Result 2 “Disease Surveillance and Reporting System Functional” and
handover to Government of Pakistan, an agreement (MoU) of ownership for the
further development of existing components and bringing them together within
the network should be developed between SLSP and Animal Husbandry
Commissioner Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Government of
Pakistan..
It should be clearly defined from start that, if SLSP is to assist in the
development of a Epidemiological Network and whatever is the shape of the
Epidemiological Network to come, it has to be admitted and owned by
Government of Pakistan from the outset, with technical, back-stopping and
financial assistance followed by transfer from SLSP.

In fact it is essential that the SLSP contributes towards strengthening each of

the existing components of the proposed Epidemiological Network as well as
assisting in the development of more components of proposed Epidemiological
Network.

3. 1. Inputs from the SLSP

With the intention of assisting in the development of an Epidemiological

Network, the areas in which SLSP can be of assistance are discussed below.

3.1.1. Improving the passive disease reporting system

This system can be made to function. The major obstacle at this time appears to
be persuading District Livestock Officers (DLOs) to submit meaningful returns.
Nevertheless DLOs remain in contact with the Veterinary Officers of the District
Hospitals who have the information that is needed. If the DLOs and Assistant
Disease investigation Officer (ADIO) of target district are mandated to work

5
together in district epidemiological network, the performance and information
related to disease surveillance and reporting will increase.

However, as a prerequisite, it is imperative to agree at a national level to place

computers and software at target district level with DLO and ADIO. Alternatively,
if it would be more appropriate to move hard copy between the districts and
Provincial Headquarters. In either case it would be necessary to develop a set of
nationally agreed reporting standards for contagious and non-contagious
diseases that allow data entry into whatever software programme is selected for
data compilation.

3.1.2. Improving disease diagnosis skills and capabilities

SLSP can improve the basic disease diagnostic system across the country
through the provision of equipments, and trainings as indicated in the proposed
Epidemiological Network programme. Epidemiological Network is the system
which consists of 30 targeted districts, 4 provincial and 1 National laboratories
working within a federally administrative and Co-ordinated network.
Pragmatically, this Epidemiological network can be created from existing
laboratories belonging to different Provincial Governments and then at National,
Provincial and targeted district level, working for different Directorates
(VRI/CVDLs and Departmental DILs.). Developing a set of MoUs to identify the
role and mandates of Epidemiological Units at each level, which allows the
development of these networks/units, will require a major federal initiative by
Animal Husbandry Commissioner and Co-Directors SLSP. It appears that most of
the required inputs have been identified by SLSP (Roy Haliwell) but their supply
should be contingent on the acceptance of Federal and Provincial coordination.
The objective would be to have in place in each of the network labs/ units, the
reagents and trained manpower, able to confirm all the commonly occurring
diseases of Pakistan.

Because of the existing infrastructure, in each province there will be a provincial

lab / Epidemiological Unit and identified number of targeted districts labs
however, all will be participants in the surveillance and reporting network. The
role of Veterinary Research Institute Lahore in the proposed Epidemiological
network will be defined by the concerned working group, whether or not to
include the VRI, Lahore in the Epidemiological network of Punjab. From the
Rinderpest experience it seems there is no real interest in diagnostic or
surveillance work on the part of the Veterinary Research Institute Lahore. The
other units in Punjab belonging to the Livestock and Dairy Development (Ext)
are able to contribute in the establishment of Epidemiological network in the
province.

3.1.3. The National Livestock Disease Surveillance System

This is the most important area to which the SLSP can contribute. Disease
Surveillance and Reporting system will establish with time and experience but a
start-up model can be proposed, based on the successful Rinderpest surveillance

6
and reporting system, in which PDS and laboratory services collaborated to
deliver the results. Actually this surveillance and reporting system will be
laboratory based and, the laboratories must be part of Epidemiological network.

There will be equal attention to surveillance for the presence of contagious

disease (HS, PPR, FMD, Bluetongue, Capripox, and BQ) and of disease affecting
the reproductive performance of large ruminants (Brucellosis, BVD, and IBR). In
each province the existing ELISA equipment would be re-established in the lead
Provincial laboratory within the network. The NVL will be accorded a role as
participating laboratory and co-ordinating Agency.

Surveillance results from the network must be regularly cross-informed and

published. The identification of new pathogens identified by the surveillance
programme can undertake by the national referral laboratory. Researching the
role of viral diseases in cause of reproductive failure can be jointly examined by
the Federal epidemiology unit.

3.1.4. The National Referral Service – National veterinary laboratories

The development of a National Laboratory with the capacity to act as a National

Referral Laboratory is vital to any Disease Information System. The staff of this
laboratory will have a working comprehension of a wide range of livestock
diseases and the techniques for their diagnosis. This referral laboratory (NVL)
would be the part of the National / Federal Epidemiological network, equipped
with a wider range of diagnostic reagents than the other participating
laboratories and provision of staff who have gained wide international exposure
to a variety of conditions and diagnostic tests.

Acting as the National referral Laboratory, the NVL will also set role, mandates
and standards to be adhered by other laboratories in the network. It is also
necessary that the NVL will take on the role making epidemiological analyses
relating to all livestock diseases throughout the country.

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4. The Proposed Structure

Disease Surveillance and reporting System Functional at National, Provincial and

Targeted Districts level

The total support of senior officers of Livestock and Dairy

Development Department will be critically important to the success of
efforts to establish an Epidemiological Network for functional disease
surveillance and reporting system at Federal, Provincial and targeted
districts level.

Upgrading the routine disease surveillance and reporting system, based on early
detection, reporting and investigation of outbreaks of target diseases and
submission of regular update reports for these outbreaks, will be a long process
that will require the full time attention of dedicated, interested, trained and
empowered staff.

Active support from senior decision makers, particularly the Director Generals,
Directors Livestock and Dairy Development Department, will be essential to
provide the required leadership, empowerment and direction for the system and
to ensure the provision of the required funding and resources after transferring
from SLSP.

A programme of active data collection will be required to provide required high

quality data, and to assist in establishing SLSP baseline and in assessing the
impact of project activities. The basic informations of targeted districts for
planning and implementation of field studies and surveys, and the analysis and
interpretation of findings will be asked from concerned districts staff through
their respective administrative. A set of Performa included as Annexs.

A fundamental requirement of the proposed Epidemiological Network is that the

information it produces will be used to inform the disease control decision
making process. The success of the Epidemiological Network could be measured
in efficiency improvements in reporting the disease incidences, using disease
control resources, reductions in disease frequency, production losses and risks to
human health.

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Level Provincial
epidemiology unit

District Livestock Officer

District DDLO -
Deputy DLO –
District Laboratory
Animal Health Poultry
Asst. disease
investigation officer
Vet. Hospital & Diag Lab
Vet./senior vet. officer

Sub- Veterinary Centres

district
Vet. assists., AI
techs, stock assts. Private Practitioners
etc

Village/
field Farmers & livestock owners
(Primary information source)

Key
Official epidemiological reporting
pathway
Information only – not part of the information transmission
pathway

Diagramatic representation of epidemiological information flow from

field level to district level by Gavin Thomson

9
 Data consolidation, storage & analysis
Federal
National policy formulation & policy
level communication

Data consolidation, storage & analysis

Provincial Provincial policy formulation &
level communication

District Data consolidation, store &

level analysis

Field
Primary data collection
level

Information flow
Key
Feed-back

Action

Outline of idealized animal disease information flow from field level to Federal level
and feed-back/action pathway by Gavin Thomson

10
The establishment of Epidemiological network will be carried out in four phases:

4.1 Phase 1 (October 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007)

Objectives with activities include:

• Conductions of workshops to identify stack holders and to analyse

the present situation of disease surveillance and reporting system
at National, provincial and Targeted Districts level.
• Conductions of consultative meeting and workshops at National and
Provincial level to define the role and mandates of Epi units by
involving concerned personals.

• Developments of action plan for the implementation of define roles

and mandates for each Epidemiological Unit.

• Establishing the important technical foundations for the

Epidemiological Network by development of MoUs at national ,
provincial level, including definitions of terms, reporting formats,
etc.

• Conduction of consultative meetings and workshops to assess the

needs of each Epidemiological Units by involving concerned
personals.

• Procurements procedure in place by SLSP to fulfil the needs of each

Epidemiological unit.

• Identification and notification of staff and place for each

Epidemiological unit by the higher ups of Livestock department.

• Identification of training institute/personals for the Epidemiological

Units.

• Conduction of Training workshops for private veterinarians on

disease reporting in target districts.

• Development of farmers awareness messages and published

materials on disease reporting for field days.

• Conduction of stake holders awareness campaign, seminars and

field days on disease surveillance and reporting.

11
 • Conduction of collaborative training workshops on diagnosis and
control of Transboundry Animal disease.

• Providing of support to the MINFAL in meeting the requirements of

OIE after submission of Rinderpest Infection free dossier.

4.2 Phase 2 (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008)

Objectives with activities include:

In this optional phase the Epidemiological network and other reporting functions
of the veterinary field service would be placed. Electronic data capture using
desk top or laptop computers would be introduced at progressively district level
to federal level in the reporting chain. These various levels would be linked
through WANs or internet connections to enable easy transmission of data
through the system.

• Procurement and distribution of vehicles, computers, and equipments

for each Epidemiological Unit will be made.

• A unified disease information system will be in placed as a soft ware to

make the Epidemiological network functional.

• Trainings on IT and technical aspects for the staff working at

Epidemiological Units will be got from concerned institutes.

• Conduction of consultative workshops to document and approve the

Standard Operational Procedures of each Epidemiological unit.

• Preparation of contingency plans for Transboundry Animal disease in the

light of approved SOPs.

• Conduction of annual review meetings to update the SOPs (if

necessary).
• Follow up of disease information on Transboundry Animal Disease
especially Rinderpest or Rinderpest like disease.

• Carry out (If required) necessary disease surveillance (active or

passive) activities for Rinderpest or Rinderpest like disease.

• Procurement and distribution of ELISA kits for PPR control and

eradication collaborative study.

• Information sharing activities by publishing reports, periodical and news

letters.

12
 • Conduction of Training workshops for private veterinarians on disease
reporting in target districts.

• Development of farmers awareness messages and published materials

on disease reporting for field days.

• Conduction of stake holders awareness campaign, seminars and field

days on disease surveillance and reporting.

• Conduction of collaborative training workshops on diagnosis and control

of Transboundry Animal disease.

• Providing of support to the MINFAL in meeting the requirements of OIE

after submission of Rinderpest Infection free dossier.

• Suitable consultancy (National or International) on the subject will be

hired as and when required.

4.3 Phase 3 (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009)

Objectives with activities include:

In 3rd phase, the Epidemiological network and other reporting functions of the
veterinary field service would be functional and operational. Electronic data
capture using desk top or laptop computers would be working and disseminating
from district level to Federal level in the reporting chain. These various levels
would be strengthened with trained staff and equipments, linked through WANs
or internet connections to enable easy transmission of data through the system.

• Procurement and distribution of vehicles, computers, and equipments

for each Epidemiological Unit will be made if it was not possible in 2nd
phase due to unavoidable circumstances.

• Trainings on IT and technical aspects for the staff working at

Epidemiological Units will be got from concerned institutes in not
completed in 2nd phase.

• Preparation of contingency plans for Transboundry Animal disease in the

light of approved SOPs.

• Conduction of annual review meetings to update the SOPs (if

necessary).

13
 • Follow up of disease information on Transboundry Animal Disease
especially Rinderpest or Rinderpest like disease.

• Carry out (If required) necessary disease surveillance (active or

passive) activities for Rinderpest or Rinderpest like disease.

• Procurement and distribution of ELISA kits for PPR control and

eradication collaborative study.

• Information sharing activities by publishing reports, periodical and news

letters.

• Conduction of Training workshops for private veterinarians on disease

reporting in target districts.

• Development of farmers awareness messages and published materials

on disease reporting for field days.

• Conduction of stake holders awareness campaign, seminars and field

days on disease surveillance and reporting.

• Conduction of collaborative training workshops on diagnosis and control

of Transboundry Animal disease.

• Providing of support to the MINFAL in meeting the requirements of OIE

after submission of Rinderpest Infection free dossier.

• Suitable consultancy (National or International) on the subject will be

hired as and when required.

4.4 Phase 4 (July 1, 2009 to September 30, 2009)

4.4.1 Sustainability and ownership of the Epidemiological Network

In this phase SLSP will hand over the functional Disease surveillance and
reporting system to concerned livestock department. Long term survival and
success of the proposed Epidemiological Network will depend in larger part on
ownership of the system by the Livestock and Dairy Development Department.
To this end it is recommended that a surveillance working group of concerned
officers of the Livestock and Dairy Development Department be formed and
involved in the working of Epidemiological network at each level.
In the 4th phase of proposed Epidemiological Network, the surveillance working
group of each province will organises a participatory workshop in order to agree

14
upon and own the aim, objectives and basic working methods of the
Epidemiological Network as their part of departmental activities.

The transparent and strong support for the ownership of Epidemiological

network by the higher ups of Livestock department will be essential to the
sustainability and success of Disease Surveillance and reporting system. In the
last phase the meetings to hand over the operational and functional
Epidemiological network will be conducted at National level.

Level Extension service Research service

AHC - National Poultry

MINFAL Reference
Laboratory

Federal
International
liaison & OIE
reporting Federal
National Veterinary
epidemiology Laboratories
unit

DG: LDD
Poultry
DG: Research surveillance
Provincial network
Provincial laboratories
epidemiology
unit
Veterinary Research
Institute
Provincial/regional
diagnostic laboratory

Diagramatic representation of a proposed epidemiological reporting pathway at

provincial & Federal levels by Gavin Thomson

15
4.4.2 Managing the Epidemiological Network

The SLSP and AHC would assume responsibility for design and operation of the
Epidemiological Network at National, Provincial and targeted districts level.

In summary it is proposed that:

• The Epidemiological Network is permanently established with appropriate

linkages to:

• Provincial Livestock departments, senior decision makers, Stake

Holders, National and International agencies.

• The veterinary laboratory services for the testing/ examination of

outbreak specimens, conducting systematic investigations of
disease outbreaks, and implementing field studies and surveys.

• The veterinary field service (Veterinary Officers, Veterinary

Assistants, Private veterinarians and the other sources of required
and reported data).

• The livestock owners, farmers in providing the feed back on their

queries of disease out break.

• The Epidemiological Network is assured of adequate supplies, equipment,

transport facilities, office accommodation etc at National, Provincial and
targeted district level.

• The Epidemiological Network is staffed by qualified officers. For this

purpose the SLSP will provides funds for specialist and targeted training
of a number of veterinary epidemiologists for National, Provincial and
targeted District Epidemiological Units. This training should cover the
principles and practical application of veterinary epidemiology, basic
principles of biometrics (to enable staff to communicate with
statisticians), basic principles of animal health economics (to enable staff
to communicate with livestock economists), and basic principles of
database management systems (to enable staff to communicate with IT
specialists), Staff selected for training should be veterinarians who are
dedicated, enthusiastic, interested in disease surveillance and reporting.

16
4.4.3 Improving the disease reporting system

In this context the Disease Surveillance working Group will address and suggest
for the improvements in the disease reporting system, the passive disease
reporting system; the early warning system, and investigation of disease
outbreaks.

5. Targets diseases for reporting system

The routine reporting system focuses on a number of priority diseases. In the

context of Epidemiological Network, OIE requirements and software used for
disease information system, the diseases will be selected on socio-economic
importance, presence of a control strategy or policy for the disease, ability to
respond to reports of disease occurrence, need to know, existing disease
patterns (enzootic, epizootic, sporadic), etc. The list of OIE diseases and list of
disease for Epidemiological Network is included as Annex.

5.1 Identifying disease outbreaks

All the disease incidences/outbreaks rather that disease occurrence will be

reported by the field staff of targeted districts. In this regards the training
workshop to identify and report the disease will be conducted in each target
district. The Disease Surveillance Working Group will identify a simple and
practical system to allocate a serial number at the district level:

District/Year/serial number –
or
District/Year/disease/serial number –

These outbreak identifiers would be used to identify all data relating to one
outbreak and will be in built in the soft ware used for the disease information
system of Epidemiological Network.

5.2 Disease reporting orientation workshops

These would be held at the target district level for veterinary officers at
district headquarters and the veterinary hospitals and dispensaries (as
appropriate). To be effective these workshops must have the strong and
overt support of senior officers (eg by their attendance at workshops, or
at a minimum the distribution of a written statement of clear support and
instruction for reporting all occurrences of target diseases). The
workshops will include the following:

17
 • Aims and objectives of disease surveillance and reporting (eg
Rinderpest pathway, international trade, enable effective use of
resources, rapidly identify new disease threats, identify trends in
enzootic diseases etc).

• Surveillance techniques: early warning, outbreak investigations,

update reports, field surveys and studies (including sero-
epidemiological surveys, questionnaire surveys, longitudinal
studies).

• Basic epidemiological principles and terminology of relevance to

disease surveillance and reporting.

• Importance of early warning and its principles.

• Outbreak investigations – principles, a standardised approach,

importance of collection and submissions of specimens for
laboratory examination.

• Continued (update) reporting of disease events. Reporting formats,

definitions, etc.

• Identification / clinical signs and typical epidemiological patterns of

occurrence of the target diseases

• Collection of specimens for laboratory diagnosis of target diseases

• Programme to create / enhance awareness of livestock owners and

private veterinary workers of (a) the clinical signs and
epidemiology of the target diseases, and (b) the need to
immediately report the suspected occurrence of any of these
diseases – or other disease events (eg ‘new’ disease, unusual
patterns of behaviour of a known disease, or occurrence of
unusually large numbers of clinical cases and or deaths).

5.3 Creating awareness amongst livestock owners and private

veterinary workers

• The master trainers, PDS Experts and VOs who have attended a
disease orientation workshop will utilise their new knowledge and
conduct awareness sessions with livestock owners in the villages in
the jurisdiction of their veterinary hospital.
• These sessions will be repeated as and when required or according
to the agreed work plan.

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 • The SLSP will assist this process by designing, printing and
supplying the awareness published material ( pamphlets, leaflets
and posters)in local versions.

5.4 The production and distribution of a regular Epidemiology

Newsletter.

This will be an extremely important strategy which aims, to demonstrate

that incoming data are being checked, evaluated and used. The
newsletters will contain the following:

• Progress of the Epidemiological Network at National, Provincial and

target district level over the reported period. It will represent
results of reports from field staff to show the reporting
performance of each district especially highlighting the disease
calendar, disease patterns (simple tables and maps), simple
interpretations of disease patterns, successes and problems with
Epidemiological Units, work plans etc.

• News about regional and global disease patterns, any new threats
to and Pakistan’s livestock populations, news from FAO, OIE, WHO
as appropriate.

• New developments in diagnosis, vaccines, epidemiology, etc.

• Future recommendations for disease control, work plans, purchase

of medicines, vaccines and conduction of vaccination campaign in
target areas.

• Any other relevant Livestock and Dairy Development Department

news.

This newsletter will be distributed to all DLOs and veterinary hospitals

through concerned provincial livestock departments.

6. Monthly reporting of disease and disease related data.

6.1 Format of report

Each district submits a disease outbreak report at the end of each month as
required by the provincial livestock department’s records. A unified

19
recommended format by the DSWG for epidemiological network will be used
covering the following basic information. Different formats are presented as
Annex

• Names the target diseases and allocates one or more rows for each
for recording outbreak data, or one row per species
• Unique identifier for each outbreak
• Date of index case
• Number of villages affected
• Production system
• Species affected
• Age group affected
• Number of cases
• Number of deaths
• Number slaughtered
• Number of animals vaccinated in month (whether or not in
response to, outbreak)

7. Data management

The proposed Epidemiological network will be only functional with the provision
and application of agreed data base or unified soft ware (Disease information
system). In this regards:

• Disease outbreak data could be entered into the latest version

of TADinfo (Java-based). This will enable easy transmission from
the point of data entry (initially the district, later the provincial)
to the next level, and production of reports for the OIE. TADinfo
would serve as the initial store for data.

• As required, data will be exported to Excel for analyses, and / or

then imported into a customised Access disease data
management system linked to Arcview. This would enable
analysis and evaluation of data and production of tailored
reports (tables, charts and maps) required by decision makers.

8. Conclusions

Establishment of functional Disease Surveillance and Reporting System at

National, Provincial and District level, reflecting the actual status of livestock
disease in the country is a dream for Livestock department. With the proposed
workable concept of Epidemiological network, the dream may become true if;

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 • The commitment for the ownership of the Epidemiological network by the
Livestock department could be ensured by agreements and MoUs.

• The concerned Livestock Department will coordinate by providing suitable

staff and place for proposed units at National, Provincial and target
Districts.

• The role and Mandates for Epidemiological Units at National, Provincial

and Districts level could be defined and approved by the concerned
competent authorities of Livestock departments.

• The working atmosphere of FPMU SLSP will be favourable to initiate /

implement the planned activities under the Result 2 of project.

List of SLSP Targeted Districts

Province Punjab
1. Chakwal.
2. Kasur
3. Toba Tek singh
4. Gujrat
5. Bahawalpur
6. Bhakkar

Province Sindh
1. Thatta
2. Badin
3. Sanghar
4. Dadu
5. Tharparkar

Province Balochistan
1. Pishin
2. Zhob
3. kalat
4. Qila Saifullah
5. Loralai
6. Mastung

Province NWFP
1. Peshawar
2. Charsadda
3. Wsat
4. Mardan

21
 5. Abbottabad
6. Nowshera

FPMU Sub Units

1. AJK
2. NAs
3. FATA
4. ICT

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 SLSP DISTRICTS IN PAKISTAN

W E CHINA
S
# S
#

S S
#
S
# S
#

S
#
##
S S

AFGHANISTAN S
#
S
#
S
# S
#
S
#
S
# S
# S
# S
#

S
#

S
#
S
#
INDIA
IRAN S
#

S
#
S #
# S
S
# S
#

S
# SLSP DISTRICTS
ARABIAN SEA PAKISTAN PROVINCES
AJK
Balochistan
FATA
ICT
NWFP
Northern Areas
Punjab
Sindh

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24