Addressing Stakeholder Needs
The AVIS approach recognises that different stakeholders in animal health and production have different needs, but common standards link all actions and interventions.
The Overview module gives the non-specialist a rapid and authoritative introduction to the key issues concerning a given disease. Further modules address the specific stakeholders. You may sample the AVIS Overviews on the FAO Web site
The AVIS Stakeholders
- Planners and decision makers on national and sub-national level
- National veterinary authorities and reference sites
- Regional field staff and extension services, including veterinarians
- Laboratory workers
- Epidemiologists and control specialists
- Livestock producers and farming communities
- Personnel from enterprises and organizations involved in animal disease control, i.e. meat and dairy industry, vaccine producers, NGOs
- Veterinary students.
Particular attention is paid to the importance of vigilance and early response to risk.
Languages
After the initial phase of the AVIS project (1992-99), which focused on the production of English-language programs, AVIS is now working, where there is identified need, in English, Spanish and French. Rabies, for example, will be available in all three languages. Other languages, such as Arabic are under active discussion. If you have a specific language requirement, please contact the AVIS office in London : mmoussaid@aviscollege.com.
The Power and Ease of Multimedia
Multimedia technology puts users at the centre of an authoritative information web. Color photographs, hotwords or hyperlinks, animations and maps make the knowledge-base easy to comprehend and navigate for the trainee or non-specialist. For the busy professional, a single mouse click opens the box of “Tools” which support key daily tasks in disease prevention, recognition and management. Each program contains a sophisticated glossary, user-defined search facility and a “Map” button for fast access to key reference materials.
Screen design, functionality, navigation and content structure are simple and standardized throughout the system; so every module works in the same way. Access to information is mostly through mouse clicks, but powerful utilities, such as a search engine and a content map are also available.
Customisation
AVIS is open to proposals for customization of the suite of programs for particular needs, such as local legal requirements, language, culture, regional need. These include Internet enabled versions of the programs for closed user communities. The precondition for such customization is retention of the integrity of the peer-reviewed content, based on international standards.