Coordinator Establishes Goals for National Animal Health Lab Network

January 26, 2011 — 

[Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from Dr. Barbara Martin's introduction in the latest NAHLN Quarterly Newsletter. Dr. Martin is the Coordinator of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). If you are interested in receiving an email copy of the newsletter please visit the NAHLN website and subscribe.]

I'm a person who sets goals and makes lists. Each December, I'm making more lists than usual as I set NAHLN Program goals for the following year. Keeping in mind the NAHLN mission and vision, as well as those of USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, I set goals based on the NAHLN operational and response gaps that were assessed during the previous year. This year's goals concentrate on the following topics:

• Improve emergency preparedness
• Increase visibility of NAHLN accomplishments
• Improve laboratory network operations
• Increase science focus
• Maintain and expand international collaboration

As I reviewed the relevant USDA projects to determine if our goals were in alignment, VS 2015 stood out as an effort quite familiar to those of you who have worked with us to develop and implement the NAHLN. VS 2015 is the strategic vision developed by leaders within Veterinary Services to guide the changes necessary to address animal health needs. Information on VS 2015 can be found on the USDA web site at: VS 2015. Below, I've copied a portion of one of the posted documents:

Q. How will stakeholders benefit from the VS 2015?
a. By emphasizing disease prevention, preparedness, detection and early response, VS hopes to minimize or avert industry-wide consequences. Better animal health capacities such as laboratory networks and veterinary stockpiles, will improve VS support when events do occur. In addition, creating greater flexibility will allow VS to shift personnel and funding more quickly to address emerging animal health issues. As a well-trained, practiced, nationally deployable response organization, VS can ensure that future responses throughout the United States will be enhanced. To support these efforts, VS plans to evaluate existing rules and regulations to ensure that they are science-based and meet the evolving needs of States and industry. In the past it was okay to take a one-size fits all regulatory approach, but in today's global economy we need greater flexibility to help States and industries maintain markets when disease strikes.

In conjunction with our State and Federal stakeholders, NAHLN has had the opportunity to put VS 2015 in action. We have worked together to increase our capabilities and capacities to detect and respond to adverse animal health events.

As I mentioned in the last edition of The NAHLN Quarterly, this edition includes the summary and recommendations of the 2010 Foot-and-Mouth Disease Table-top Exercises, and information on the capacity estimation program and the NAHLN Portal.

The NAHLN vision established at its inception continues to hold relevance and value. We have, and are continuing to facilitate the changes necessary to address evolving needs of States and industry.

Source: NAHLN Quarterly Newsletter, January 2011