National Significant Disease Investigation Program

The National Significant Disease Investigation Program (NSDI Program) is managed nationally by Animal Health Australia (AHA).

Funding is provided to all state and territory agriculture departments and Wildlife Health Australia (WHA) to help private veterinary practitioners investigate significant disease events in livestock and wildlife.

In Queensland, this funding currently:

• supports fully subsidised testing in eligible livestock disease investigations for samples submitted by private veterinarians to the Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory
• provides subsidies to veterinarians who investigate and report on significant disease incidents in wildlife
• supports training of private veterinarians to increase their knowledge, skills and confidence in investigating and reporting on significant disease events in livestock.

Wildlife disease investigation subsidies

Subsidies are available for:

• field or clinical work (such as clinical evaluation and/or necropsy, and collection of diagnostic samples)
• laboratory diagnostic work
• follow-up field investigation, if required.

Eligibility

You must be a registered non-government veterinarian engaged in clinical veterinary medicine. This can be in a:

• private practice
• university clinic
• zoo
• wildlife park.

How to apply

To apply for funding, or to discuss which cases might qualify, you can:

• Phone: (02) 9960 6333 during business hours, Monday to Friday
• Email: admin@wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au
• Email: Queensland's WHA coordinator at bslwildlife@daf.qld.gov.au.

More information

Find out more about funding sources for wildlife disease investigations.

Disease investigation training

Biosecurity Queensland has developed a refresher program for veterinarians working in mixed and large animal practices. It aims to:

• enhance capability in investigating significant diseases of livestock
• increase awareness of significant, zoonotic and emergency animal diseases
• refresh knowledge on collecting and submitting samples
• improve necropsy skills for ruminants and poultry
• strengthen biosecure entry and exit procedures
• develop networks between government, industry, university and private veterinarians.

The training is free of charge and places are limited.

Eligibility

You must:

• be a registered non-government veterinarian currently engaged in livestock clinical practice
• submit, or be likely to submit, specimens to the Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory.

When

Training is currently being delivered twice a year.

Where

Government-led workshops are held at:

• James Cook University, Townsville
• The University of Queensland, Gatton.

How to apply

• Invitations from the Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer are emailed to registered veterinarians in Queensland 6–8 weeks before each workshop.
• The email includes full details of the program and a link to the application form.