Workshop on Proficiency Testing Programme for Aquatic Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratories in Asia-Pacific

The two-day regional workshop was held at Centara Grand Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. It was organized by NACA with funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and in collaboration with Australian National Quality Assurance Programme (ANQAP) and the Animal Health Laboratory of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The workshop was undertaken as a preliminary activity of the whole Regional Proficiency Testing (RPT) Programme, with the following specific objectives:

• To strengthen Asia’s regional capability to diagnose important aquatic animal diseases that impact on trade, industry sustainability and/or productivity.
• To train participating laboratory personnel in diagnostic standards, and proficiency testing procedures, and to provide technical assistance to improve laboratory performance.
• To establish a laboratory proficiency testing programme that meets regional needs and which can be accessed following completion of the project.