Public-private partnership framework for highly pathogenic avian influenza surveillance: A Korean model

This study provides the first comprehensive PPP model for livestock disease surveillance in Korea. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks have increased globally, placing growing pressure on veterinary services. In the Republic of Korea, the proportion of unfilled public veterinary positions rose from 29.5% in 2019-41.4% in 2023. This study proposes a public-private partnership (PPP) framework for HPAI surveillance using the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) PPP framework. We analyzed international PPP models from Australia's Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement, Japan's focus-area system, and the European Union's SIGMA project. We also evaluated a 2024 pilot project conducted by three private testing facilities across four provinces and covering 267 farms, using WOAH's 44 evaluation criteria. The international comparison showed diverse PPP approaches emphasizing government-industry cost sharing, inter-ministerial coordination, and automated reporting systems. The Korean pilot project revealed major challenges, including farmer non-cooperation, regulatory constraints, and limited private facility capacity. Gap analysis identified major deficiencies in the legal framework, resource allocation, and information sharing domains. Based on these findings, we propose a phased Korean PPP model with clearly defined roles: MAFRA for policy coordination, APQA for technical support and confirmatory testing, provincial laboratories for supervision, and private facilities for M-gene screening. Successful implementation will require clear legal authority, sustainable funding, quality assurance through ISO 17025 certification, and improved information sharing via the Korea Animal Health Integrated System (KAHIS). This study provides the first comprehensive PPP model for livestock disease surveillance in Korea.