Training needs and provision in developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region

Training has played a significant role in the development of capacity in aquatic animal health in the Asia-Pacific region where most specialists have fisheries or a background in biology rather than in veterinary medicine. Training courses offered by various organizations, national institutes, universities and the private sector are aimed at providing graduates with skills in disease diagnostics using molecular methods, histopathology, epidemiology, immunology, as well as in disease prevention and control methods. Most training programmes either focus on diseases affecting specific commodities, such as shrimp, marine fish or molluscs, or on diagnostic methods for pathogens such as viruses. Because of the need to train a large pool of geographically dispersed participants, innovative and cost-effective ways of delivery like online and on-site training should be encouraged as well as workshops preceding or following meetings and symposia. One important aspect to be addressed is the translation of training materials to facilitate knowledge transfer to the farm level. Since the inadequate level of aquatic animal health expertise in the Asia-Pacific affects worldwide aquaculture, partnerships between governments, various international organizations and academia should be strengthened in order to fill the training gap.