Early detection of a TAD is an essential component for rapid response to control an outbreak of a disease in real quick time. Having helped in setting up these facilities, FAO is working closely with the Department of Animal Health (DAH) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of the Government of Vietnam to sustain the activities of this network of laboratories for rapid laboratory-based diagnosis, surveillance for diseases, e.g., HPAI, PRRS and H1N1 in pigs, and monitoring the HPAI vaccination campaign through laboratory based tests.

Reliable diagnosis of disease outbreaks is a basic requirement of any disease control programme. FAO has strengthened the capacity of the veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Viet Nam to diagnose HPAI and other important diseases of livestock. Equipment and supplies have been provided as well as staff training and international technical support. A key issue has been improving biosafety for staff by improving laboratory facilities and laboratory management.

The laboratory network has received long standing support from FAO. This support provides essential diagnostic services and strengthens vaccine monitoring and strategy development initiatives. These networks of hi-tech diagnostic laboratories are highly valued asset for Viet Nam in successful management of transboundary animal diseases. The network comprises of eight Regional Animal Health Office Laboratories spread evenly across the country in addition to a central referral point at the National Centre for Veterinary Diagnosis (NCVD) in Hanoi. All these nine laboratories are routinely carrying out HPAI diagnosis on suspected samples by applying Real-Time Reverse-Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RRT-PCR). These laboratories also perform tests appropriate for post-vaccination monitoring. Two out of the nine laboratories are equipped to carry out H5N1 virus isolation work both for further analysis of HPAI outbreaks as well as for virus surveillance in live-bird markets. Capacity has been created in NCVD and support is regularly provided by FAO to carry out efficacy of the vaccine in use against the currently circulating HPAI viruses in Vietnam.

FAO in collaboration with the DAH also provides support for carrying out regular training programmes for skill enhancement of the laboratory staff, in implementation of bio-safety standards in the laboratories and in organization of laboratory network meetings twice a year. .Topics include laboratory upgrading and development; review of HPAI and swine disease diagnosis; post-vaccination and virus monitoring; wild-bird virus transmission; and the update of the Standard Operating Procedures for the diagnostic of HPAI, foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.