Virtual Regional Awareness Raising Workshop on Veterinary Workforce and VPPs

The World Organisation for Animal Health (founded as OIE) recognises the importance of veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs) in veterinary service delivery, and the PVS Tool includes assessments related to the staffing and competency of veterinary paraprofessionals as well as veterinarians in Veterinary Services. VPPs play an important role in providing basic veterinary service delivery in most resource-constrained or developing countries. In many cases, VPPs act as the frontline service providers in rural areas offering preventive or curative services. VPPs can also contribute to improving disease surveillance, including early detection, and disease control in remote areas.

WOAH has organised  multiple events to identify members’ needs and priorities on the topic of VPPs and also published  (i) Competency Guidelines for Veterinary Paraprofessionals (2018) and (ii) Curricula Guidelines for Veterinary Paraprofessionals (2019) designed to deliver the desired knowledge, skills, attitudes and aptitudes.

As the next step, WOAH HQ, RRAP, and SRR-SEA co-organised the “Virtual Regional Awareness Raising Workshop on Veterinary Workforce and VPPs” in June-July 2021.

Objectives of this workshop were to:

• Raise awareness amongst participants about the PVS Pathway, approaches to workforce development, and the role of VPPs in Veterinary Services
• Inform on WOAH activities in support of improving the participation and performance of VPPs
• Discuss the elements contributing to an enabling environment for effective use of VPPs and encourage Members/Observers to create a VPP enabling environment at national level with support from WOAH
• Familiarise participants with the content and use of the WOAH Competency Guidelines for VPPs and the WOAH Curricula Guidelines for VPPs
• Explore interest in a network of VPP champions in the South Asia and Southeast Asia sub-regions
• Discuss collaboration/coordination between vets and VPPs in VS.

This workshop was divided into 5 sessions on 5 days and attended by over 230 participants from 28 WOAH Member countries and territories in total.

Agenda & Presentations of the workshop

• Session 1 : Opening session on Veterinary Workforce and VPPs in Asia and the Pacific on 10 June
• Session 2 : Veterinary legislation and regulation on 15 June
•  Session 3: Veterinary paraprofessional education on 22 June
• Session 4: Veterinary workforce development on 29 June
• Session 5: Closing session on Veterinary Workforce and VPPs in Asia and the Pacific on 6 July

Meeting Report

Event Site (further details available)