1st International Congress of South East Asia Veterinary School Association (SEAVSA) “Animal Health and Production for Better ASEAN Quality of Life - Challenge of Veterinary Education”

In responding to global challenges from a veterinary perspective, SEAVSA realized the importance of its organization in providing answers for veterinary services in education through collaboration and contribution among veterinary medicine faculties/schools in ASEAN. SEAVSA held its 1st congress in Bogor on July 20 to 22, 2010, with theme “Animal Health and Production for Better ASEAN Quality of Life - Challenge of Veterinary Education” hosted by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bogor Agricultural University. The congress discussed 4 main topics, which are veterinary education and profession; biodiversity and biomedical research; veterinary public health, zoonosis and food safety; and animal health, ecohealth and livestock production.
The congress aimed to build communication between veterinarians, professionals, and researchers in each of their specific disciplines to communicate ideas, knowledge, and current issues in the form of scientific writings. The congress also held a meeting between deans of Veterinary Medicine Faculties in ASEAN to discuss collaboration between faculties to increase the education quality to achieve better veterinary services for the public.
The 1st International Congress of SEAVSA was opened on July 20, 2010, by Vice Rector 1 of the Bogor Agricultural University on behave of the Rector. Following the opening ceremony was a plenary session that brought forth several speakers: Animal Health Director for the Directorate General of Livestock Services Dr. Agus Wiyono, SEAVSA President Dr. Bashir Ahmad Fateh Mohamed, Vice Dean of the Veterinary Medicine Faculty in Kasetsart University - Thailand, and Dr. Gradner Murray from OIE Subregional Representative for South East Asia.
The congress was held for 3 days (July 20 to 22, 2010) and was attended by 10 SEAVSA member veterinary medicine faculties, educational institutes in ASEAN, and other veterinary-related bodies, such as research institutes, companies, and non-government organizations.
Center for Indonesian Veterinary Analytical Studies (CIVAS), as the only non-government organization (NGO) focused on animal health, animal welfare, and food safety, also participated in the congress by giving 3 oral presentations on studies that CIVAS had done with the Indonesian-Dutch Bilateral project for Avian Influenza Control in Indonesia. The presentations were “Seasonal Impact on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Chicken Coming to Poultry Collecting Facilities (PCFs) in Jakarta” presented by Andri Jatikusumah, “Avian Influenza Detection in Incoming Chickens and The Environment of Poultry Collecting Facilities (PCFs) in DKI Jakarta” yang presented by Albertus Teguh Muljono and “Antibody Responses to Avian Influenza Vaccination in Broiler Chickens in Indonesia” presented by Erianto Nugroho.
The study presented by Andri Jatikusumah was about the relation between seasons in Indonesia, the rainy and dry season, and cases of HPAI detected in Poultry Collecting Facilities (PCFs). The study concluded that statistically there was no significant difference between HPAI cases found in the rainy season and dry season even though the percentage of HPAI cases found in the rainy season was higher compared to the dry season and a spike in cases was identified during the change between seasons. Meanwhile the study presented by Albertus Teguh Muljono found AI virus in approximately 80% of PCFs studied. The virus was found in chickens coming to the PCF, the PCF environment and sentinel chickens. Meanwhile antibody detection found 69.4% of spent chicken in PCFs had titers more than 2 Log 4. Overall AI infected chickens in PCFs in Jakarta were from Lampung, Central Java, and Yogyakarta provinces. The study presented by Erianto Nugroho on AI vaccination in broiler chickens in Indonesia found that vaccination in broilers on age 1, 7, 10 or 14 days using inactive HPAI vaccines could not produce mean antibody titers considered to be protective, therefore further study in combination with a challenge test (Laboratory scale) is needed to measure the effectiveness of vaccination more accurately.
In total there were 45 oral presentations, 50 study posters, and 10 keynote speakers during the plenary. Overall the 1st International Congress of SEAVSA was a success as there were many participants attending and information shared during the congress.
Finally, from the congress hopefully SEAVSA can improve its integrity in understanding the new scope of activities, and build communication among professionals and various educational institutes in answering the challenge of veterinary education on animal health and production for better ASEAN Quality of Life.