[Model for the organizational structure of the Regional Service for Animal Health]

The organisational structure of any unit must be a reflection of the way in which work is distributed and of specialisation in the constituent parts. Co-ordination between these parts requires the establishment of standards, strategies, procedures and official controls, as well as a chain of command, in order to attain the desired objectives. The authors present an alternative model for designing an organisational structure for district Veterinary Services of a given country. This model will assist the establishment of basic criteria for evaluating such Services, facilitating their integration into the procedure for planning animal health activities, and providing a better comprehension of their function within the livestock sector.