An Introduction to China Animal Health & Epidemiology Center

China Animal Health & Epidemiology Center (CAHEC), derived from the National Animal Quarantine Institute, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), which was established in 1979, is directly subordinated to MOA and is the technical supporting institution for MOA to carry out the whole nation’s animal health professional management.  In 2005, as required by the development of agricultural and rural economy in the new era and, direction of the future animal husbandry development and the new tasks and new demands in control of the major animal diseases, to improve the major animal disease prevention and control and emergent handling capacity, to secure public health safety, and to promote rapid, sustainable development of livestock industry, with approval from the Central Staffing Office, according to “the State Council Opinions on Speeding up the Reforming of Veterinary System” and the spirit of classified reforming of the institutions, MOA rearranged the institutions and staffing with regard to animal husbandry and veterinary organizations, and renamed the National Animal Quarantine Institute, MOA as China Animal Health & Epidemiology Center (CAHEC).

Main responsibilities
China Animal Health & Epidemiology Center is an animal health institute at the state level, responsible for epidemiological investigation, diagnosis, and surveillance of major animal diseases, veterinary health evaluation on animal and animal products, research on animal health laws and regulations, and technical measures of prevention and control of major exotic animal diseases. Its main responsibilities are as follows:
1. Animal epidemiological survey, analysis and research and animal disease investigation; collection, handling and preservation of sera of various animal species to conduct dynamic surveillance and tracing of major animal diseases;
2. Diagnosis, surveillance, research on prevention and control measures of major exotic animal diseases;
3. Collection of animal disease information aborad, establishment of national animal health and epidemiology data-base, and early warning and analysis of animal diseases;
4. Veterinary health evaluation on animal and animal products, risk assessment of animal disease areas, and organization and implementation of animal health accreditation for related enterprises;
5. Coordination of China Animal Health & Epidemiology Center and its branch centers, National Veterinary Reference Laboratories and veterinary laboratories at various levels to conduct epidemiological investigation, analysis and collection of relevant data of epidemiological investigation to present a general report on epidemiology;
6. Research on animal disease diagnostic techniques and reagents; 
7. Collection and analysis of international animal health laws and regulations and relevant laws and cases on SPS Agreement, research on animal health laws and regulations and standards, integrated evaluation on animal health technical trade measures and international veterinary affairs;
8. The regular work of the National Animal Health Technology Committee, and the National Animal Health Epidemiology Specialist Committee; and
9. Any other tasks assigned by MOA.

Divisions in the Center
The Center consists of 16 divisions: General Office, Personnel Division (Retired Veteran Cadre & Retired Worker Division), Party Group Office, Financial Division, Administrative Division, Sci-Tech & Information Division, Coordination & Communication Division, Lab. Technology Guiding Division, Animal Epidemiology Investigation & Analysis Division, Animal Epidemiology Surveillance Division, Animal Health Evaluation Division, Standard & Regulation Research Division, International Veterinary Affair Analysis Division, Diagnostic Reagent Research Division, Center for Exotic Animal Disease Diagnosis, Animal Isolation Site on the Zhongyangshan Isle.