Hanoi (VNA) – TheMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of Animal Health announcedthat the Vietnam Animal Health Information System has opened online, during apress conference in Hanoi on August 28.

The system received financialsupport from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and technicalsupport from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), aimingto simplify procedures and apply information technology to animal diseasereporting to meet the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (OIE) standards.

VAHIS is an online system thatconnects computers, can promptly transmit data to animal health agencies fromcentral to provincial levels, and collect data on animal diseases as requestedby concerned Vietnamese agencies and the OIE.

It will also monitor andoffer early warnings on animal epidemics based on monthly, quarterly,semi-annual, and annual reports.

Deputy Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said VAHIS will help the animalhealth sector actively build plans to monitor epidemics and build safety zones againstdiseases in localities, ensuring safety for farmers and communities.

At the provincial level, thesystem will help authorities prevent the spread of epidemics; mitigate damagein animal husbandry and human health, especially in animal-to-human diseases;and secure the export quality of Vietnamese animal products.

Interim FAO representative inVietnam Kamal Malhotra said VAHIS will effectively connect data from farms,villages, communes, districts, provinces, regional animal health agencies andrelated parties, helping the ministry with its decision-making process. –VNA