# Chief Veterinary Officer

**10.1. Responsibility for control and eradication of Swine Vesicular
Disease in Poland**

The responsibility for control and eradication of Swine Vesicular
Disease (SVD) in Poland rests with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development who transfers functional liability on account of these
actions onto the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO). The latter is also
deputy to the Chairman of the National Centre for Co-ordination of
Population Rescuing and Protection (KCKRiOL).

Surveillance and co-ordination of actions and provision of uniform means
and measures of control, in case of outbreak of SVD epidemics within
Poland, is responsibility of the CVO who has the Central Veterinary
Inspectorate at his disposal, as regards determination of the policies
of action.

# 10.2. Tasks of CVO:

-   preparation and updating of the contingency plan and submittal of
    same to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for
    acceptance;

-   approval of provincial (voivodeship) contingency plans re. SVD
    control/eradication;

-   surveillance over follow-up examination ensuing from the Ordinance
    of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 'concerning
    determination of nosological entities, method of checks, scope of
    examinations and principle of funding thereof (i.e. Journal of Laws
    of 2003, No. 62, item 571);

-   acting as deputy to the Chairman of the National Centre for
    Co-ordination of Population Rescuing and Protection (KCKRiOL);

-   analysing the state of threat;

-   collaboration with mass media;

-   establishment of 'KZK' by way of order, and appointment of the
    Chairman and deputies thereto;

-   assignment of tasks, co-ordination of actions, and supervision of
    actions performed by Provincial Veterinary Officers and District
    Veterinary Officers;

-   approval of provincial (voivodeship) contingency plans re. SVD
    control/eradication;

-   activation of 'KZK' as of the date on which information re.
    suspicion is obtained;

-   provision of adequate financial resources from State budgetary
    reserve for control/eradication of SVD in case the latter has been
    confirmed;

-   responsibility for provision of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease
    Institution of Zduńska-Wola with adequate amounts of diagnostic
    materials, and for introduction of examination/test methodology
    controlling measures (as in line with the respective legislation);

-   announcing on epidemics outbursts and reporting to OIE and EU;

-   collaboration with the Council of Epizootics;

-   co-operation with institutions and organisations proving
    indispensable for controlling/eradication of SVD;

-   enabling the flow of information and preparing reports for the
    Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, EU Commissions, and
    other countries' committees/commissions.

**10.3. Responsibility for training and organisational/administrative
preparation**

> The Chief Veterinary Officer is responsible for provision of \[an
> opportunity of\] permanent preparation of veterinary services -- as
> regards organisation, resources and level of training received -- for
> fast and efficient responding to crisis circumstances related to the
> occurrence of the sickness in question. As to the scope of fulfilling
> his duties, the CVO is at all times supported by the Team of Swine
> Vesicular Disease Experts.

**10.4. Actions undertaken by CVO**

> **10.4.1. In the event of a direct threat of transmission of SVD into
> Poland, the CVO shall:**

-   accept information re. threat of transmission of SVD into Poland;

-   give orders to Border Veterinary Officers concerning the
    restrictions in the transit traffic and importation of animals being
    sensitive to SVD and commodities derivative therefrom, from
    countries wherein the disease has appeared or countries whose
    epizootic status is not known, and within whose area a suspicion of
    SVD occurrence appeared;

-   notify the subordinate Inspection of the epizootic situation;

-   file applications with respective State administrative offices re.
    release of financial means as provided for preventive actions in
    case of direct threat to the economy and the country's epizootic
    status;

-   instantly launch protective procedures on the borders of Poland,
    with particular attention paid to checkpoints handling travellers
    from countries where SVD has appeared;

-   apply with the Prime Minister for closing local border checkpoints
    for population of border areas;

-   introduce disinfection and check procedures on border checkpoints
    (see procedure re. frontiers);

-   apply with Voivodes (Province Governors) for issuance of bans on
    movement of sensitive animals, organisation of fairs and
    rounding-ups and animal exhibitions, for areas under direct threat;

-   launch additional inspections of large farm-holdings and entities
    dealing with gathering of, and trading in, animals;

-   enter into co-operation agreements on preventive actions, with other
    services and departments/ministries that because of their statutory
    tasks, human and equipment-related resources, prove to be of essence
    for prevention and control/eradication of SVD;

-   mobilise teams taking part in preventive actions and
    control/eradication of SVD;

-   orders the advanced alert status for the FMD Institution, State
    Veterinary Institute of Zduńska-Wola, which shall instantly present
    the schedule of duty hours, particularly taking into account the
    laboratory personnel resources;

-   order state of readiness in KZK, which shall instantly present the
    schedule of duty hours, particularly taking into account the human
    resources;

-   launch informative action in the mass media, by intermediation of
    the Church and other available institutions and organisations,
    regarding the sickness, ways of spreading thereof, and threats
    ensuing therefrom;

-   notify the neighbouring countries on steps undertaken in order to
    protect the country against SVD;

-   check the state-of-readiness/ alert status at the WZK and PZK;

-   order the WZK and PZK to enter into co-operation with entities
    co-operating toward SVD control/eradication, with particular
    attention paid to construction enterprises, public road management
    boards, the police, municipal police, the army,
    sanitary-and-epidemiological services, meteorological services,
    quoting the proposal re. entering into action performing agreements;

-   monitor, on an ongoing basis, the developments of epizooties in the
    neighbouring countries;

-   notify the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural
    Development on suspicions appearing as to occurrences of SVD in
    neighbouring countries;

-   launch a 'hotline' for use of any and all interested parties.

**10.4.2. In the event of receipt of first notification of occurrence of
SVD, the CVO shall:**

-   announce the occurrence of SVD in Poland;

-   advise the Prime Minister on detecting the focus of SVD;

-   introduce a complete ban on the movement and purchase (procurement)
    of animals in threatened and infected areas, save for direct removal
    thereof to a rendering plant under the supervision of Veterinary
    Inspection staff, and under the observance of any relevant
    precautions;

-   activate (mobilise) the KZK which acts in accord with the schedule
    of duties, particularly taking into account the human resources;

-   establish co-operation between KZK and KCKRiOL;

-   notify the subordinate Inspection of detecting the focus(es) of SVD;

-   order state of diagnostic readiness for the Foot-and-Mouth Disease
    Institution of Zduńska-Wola, which operates in line with the
    schedule of duty hours, particularly taking into account the
    laboratory personnel resources;

-   determine the method and frequency of reporting by WZK and PZK, and
    from the FMD Institution, re. progress of SVD control/eradication --
    incoming and outgoing reports;

-   co-ordinate the works of Provincial and District Veterinary
    Officers;

-   analyse current situation via the Team of Experts, basing on data
    received from Provincial and District Veterinary Officers and the
    National Diagnostic Laboratory -- Foot-and-Mouth Disease Institution
    of Zduńska-Wola, State Veterinary Institute; and, subsequently,
    forward relevant pieces of information to KCKRiOL;

-   apply with Province Governors for issuance of bans on movement of
    animals, organisation of fairs and rounding-ups and animal
    exhibitions, in directly threatened areas;

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-   launch informative action in the mass media on progress in
    control/eradication of the sickness, ways of spreading thereof, and
    threats ensuing therefrom; by intermediation of the Church and other
    available institutions and organisations, on the national level,
    and, pronounce his opinion on the final version of information to be
    provided to the press from lower tiers;

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-   file applications with respective State administrative offices re.
    release of financial means as provided for actions relating to
    control (eradication) of SVD;

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-   launch additional inspections of large farm-holdings and entities
    dealing with gathering of, and trading in, animals;

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-   notify neighbouring countries, FAO, OIE, EU Veterinary Committee on
    the current epizootic situation and actions being undertaken

-   report on the course of actions to the Prime Minister and the
    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development;

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-   launch a 'hotline' for use of any and all interested parties.

Detailed actions of the Chief Veterinary Officer and Central Veterinary
Inspectorate in case of occurrence of suspicion and outbreak of the
sickness are described in the procedures and instructions constituting
an integral part of this present SVD--PLAN.