Overview
Papua New Guinea, like many Pacific island countries and territories, is experiencing shortfalls in available veterinary and animal health auxiliary personnel. This project facilitated the collection and reporting of signs of disease in the country's livestock by introducing simple checklists and training to livestock owners and animal health auxiliary staff in provincial departments, commercial livestock companies and non-government organisations. The capacity for such reporting expanded the reach of existing government animal health staff. This in turn assisted with documentation and assessment of Papua New Guinea's animal health status for endemic animal diseases, and facilitated more rapid reporting of incursions of exotic diseases and outbreaks of newly emerging diseases (which may be zoonoses affecting both animals and humans). The improved information on disease distribution, prevalence and incidence could also greatly assist in disease control programs.