Complex Environments

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Key to an understanding of regional disease surveillance is a comprehensive understanding of the contributing partners and stakeholders within each contributing nation, including government facilities and departments, academic organizations, and external health providers. TDV consultant Mr. James Dunlop undertook a comprehensive stakeholder mapping exercise, focused on each of the six regions, and identifying how each stakeholder contributes from a detection, verification, confirmation and analysis perspective. This initial exercise served as a foundation to ensure that actions undertaken by the CORDS network of regional disease surveillance networks engaged all of the key stakeholder organizations necessary for effective surveillance. 

Effective management of animal health in the future requires an appreciation of the complex interactions between animal health, public health, economic health and ecosystem health and the impact of emerging trends and drivers going forward. The Fore-CAN project, involving Mr. James Dunlop as Deputy Project Manager, was initiated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to apply novel foresight and future visioning techniques to identify the needs and capacities that will be required to address animal health issues by the year 2020.  

Science and technology is a priority for the Federal Government. The CFIA sought to develop an animal health science agenda that was national in scope and effect. TDV was engaged to undertake an initial first step to scan the current environment for factors likely to drive change and then to identify pivot points that indicate a significant change actually taking place. The purpose of this environmental scan was to describe the context within which the development of a Canadian national animal health science agenda must take place.  

TDV Global was contracted to research and develop an International Strategy for the Infectious Disease and Emergency Preparedness Branch (IDEP) of PHAC. TDV Global Partner, Brian McKay, did the work with direct supervision by the ADM IDEP. The work includd extensive interviews and document review, internal consultation and facilitation of an executive management retreat, drafting of the strategy and further consultation to reach consensus. The strategy had to align to PHAC, Government of Canada, regional and international public health priorities and commitments, but be balanced with the operational and financial realities of PHAC.  

TDV Global was contracted to assist the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in development of its strategic plan. TDV Global Partner Brian McKay led the team that provided support to the CARPHA Executive Director. TDV Global’s team included global public health experts and laboratory experts. The work included advice and support on the strategic planning process including commission research for the SWOT analysis, design of a 2.5 day workshop for over 50 participants from across the region (both internal and external stakeholders), facilitation of the strategic planning workshop, and drafting of the strategic plan.