International collaborative research: role of FAO and other international organizations on animal health programs in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The present situation, needs and potential for the veterinary research and diagnostic laboratories in Latin America and the Caribbean are presented based upon the evaluation of their scientific personnel. The following conclusions were arrived at. (a) The economic crisis in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean has seriously affected veterinary services in general and the diagnostic and research laboratories in particular. (b) Policies need to be reviewed regarding the hiring of new and young scientific personnel in order to replace those retiring, and to define the number and type of working posts needed for the proper operation of the laboratories. (c) Policies need to be reviewed to define the salaries for the scientific personnel of the diagnostic and research laboratories; the only way to retain qualified personnel is through competitive salaries. (d) At present there is more stability among the scientific personnel, especially in those laboratories considered as reference laboratories for the Network; this gives more reliability and guarantees the continuity of their programs and services. (e) Policies need to be reviewed in relation to the publication of scientific information. Latin America journals that have appeared regularly and are well indexed in the international bibliographic services need to be identified and promoted as cited journals for the dissemination of scientific information generated in Latin America and the Caribbean. Diagnostic and research institutions' presentations at national or international congresses should subsequently be published in scientific journals. (f) Evaluation methodology as stated in this review can be used to help identify reliable laboratories with top-quality personnel.