WOAH Workshop on ASF Compartmentalisation

The OIE organised a regional workshop for Asia and the Pacific to present its new guidelines on ASF compartmentalisation. It was an opportunity to discuss in depth the practical implementation of this concept and to share countries and personal experiences.

African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious disease of domestic and wild pigs, which has unprecedently spread in the past years, seriously impacting Asia.

In 2019, a call was made at the 87th World Assembly of OIE Delegates for the establishment, in coordination with FAO, of a global initiative to control ASF aiming to:

1. Improve the capability of countries to control (prevent, respond, eradicate) ASF
2. Establish an effective coordination and cooperation framework for the global control of ASF.
3. Facilitate business continuity ensuring safe production and trade to protect food systems using International Standards.

Regarding this third objective, the OIE had already developed International Standards and guidelines, such as the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code Chapter 4.4 on zoning and compartmentalisation providing recommendations on the principles of zoning and compartmentalisation Chapter 4.5 on application of compartmentalisation  a structured framework for the application and recognition of compartments.

Chapter 15.1 on African swine fever providing general criteria required for the determination of the ASF status of a country, zone or compartment.

However, to address needs for practical guidance for the Veterinary Services and the private sector, the OIE has recently developed guidelines on compartmentalisation for African swine fever. This document incorporates the general principles outlined in the Terrestrial Code, but also provides specific practical guidance and tools for the application, implementation and recognition of compartmentalisation to facilitate continued safe national and international trade.

This workshop discussed in depth the new OIE guidelines on compartmentalisation for African swine fever and was a platform to share countries and personal experiences on compartmentalisation.

Experts having participated in the development/ peer-review of these guidelines, as well as representatives from the public and the private sectors with experience in compartmentalisation were given the floor.

Download the presentations here:

• OIE existing standards on compartmentalisation / VDO – Dr Okita, Vice-President of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standard Commission
• The ASF Global Strategy and introduction to the OIE compartmentalisation guidelines / VDO – Dr Torres, Head of the OIE Science Dept.
• Principles of compartmentalisation in the context of ASF / VDO – Pr. Pfeiffer, OIE consultant
• Implementation of ASF compartmentalization / VDO – Dr Maja, OIE ad hoc Group on ASF compartmentalisation
• Challenges/pre requirements / VDO – Drs Maja & Zhichun, OIE ad hoc Group on ASF compartmentalizationCountries’ experience in compartmentalisation or in high biosecurity establishments for business continuity for commercial sector
• China / VDO – Dr Sun Xiaodong
• Indonesia / VDO – Dr Yuni Yupiana
• Vietnam/ VDO – Dr Nguyen Van Long
• Approval and recognition processes  / VDO – Dr Gibbens, Chair of the OIE ad hoc Group on ASF compartmentalisation
• Shared experience from the private sector / VDO – Dr Zhichun, OIE ad hoc Group on ASF compartmentalisation
• Brief overview of the OIE Handbook on how to develop impactful and sustainable Public-Private Partnerships in the veterinary domain / VDO – Dr Isabelle Dieuzy-Labaye, OIE Senior Advisor – Partnerships

Important links:

OIE Guidelines on ASF Compartmentalisation
OIE Asia-Pacific webpage on ASF
OIE ASF portal
ASF Global Initiative
EFSA Expert Knowledge Elicitation (EKE)
GF-TADs Standing Group of Experts for ASF for Asia and the Pacific
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the veterinary domain