In November 2008, six Indonesian veterinarians from different levels of government (central, provincial and district) conducted a two-week study tour of Australia to observe our decentralised animal health systems. Special reference was made to NSW and its Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) system as an example of delivery of veterinary services that might have particular relevance to Indonesia's decentralised animal health system.

The tour was part of an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project titled 'Improving Veterinary Service Delivery in a Decentralised Indonesia', and managed by Dr Helen Scott-Orr of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI). The aim was to give vets an understanding of how Australia's animal health system fits together to deliver a high level of national biosecurity as well as effective emergency animal disease response.

There was a special focus on the emergency response arrangements under AUSVETPLAN and how disease surveillance and control strategies are administered by the states. Dr Tristan Jubb, who is a consultant to the project, accompanied the visitors on their NSW and ACT tour of farms, saleyards, abattoirs, veterinary schools, diagnostic laboratories, DPI and RLPB offices, Animal Health Australia, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and AQIS facilities.

The Indonesian vets were very impressed by the excellent networking across the whole system and the strong links between the private, government and university sectors. Their findings are already having an influence back in Indonesia. A very comprehensive and positive report was submitted by them to the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, and they will be presenting elements of the report to a national workshop in Bogor, West Java, on progressing the development of an INDOVETPLAN (which will be loosely modeled on AUSVETPLAN).

One of the participants, Dr Agung, has been promoting positive aspects of our system to the Balinese chapter of the Indonesian Veterinary Association and applying some of its principles in combating the current outbreak of rabies in Bali which was confirmed last November. This outbreak is stretching the local resources, demonstrating how much need there is for a clear cost-sharing and decision making system to combat emergency diseases.

More study tours are planned for 2009 and 2010.

Photo: Indonesian Veterinary Australian Study Tour visiting DAFF and AQIS in November 2008, from left to right: Dr Tristan Jubb, Livestock Health Systems Australia, Bendigo; Dr Aminurrahman, Provincial Livestock Services, Mataram, Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB); Dr Nilma Lubis, Directorate General of Livestock Services, Jakarta; Dr Anak Agung Gde Putra, Disease Investigation Centre, Denpasar (M); Dr Caravonica Salam, Directorate General of Livestock Services, Jakarta; Ir Zulqifli, District Livestock Services, Sumbawa NTB; Dr Khairul Akbar, District Livestock Services Bima NTB; Dr Amy Little, AQIS