Organisation of veterinary public health in the western Pacific region.

Information on veterinary public health organisation and activities was obtained from government sources in countries located in the Western Pacific region. This region has a wide range of geographical features, population densities, farming practices, social structures and disease prevalences. In spite of this variation, there is common agreement on the importance of veterinary public health both for the provision of safe food and for the control of zoonotic diseases. Not all countries, however, are able to put all the resources they would wish into these activities; financial, social and personnel constraints are recognised.