Centre for Biosecurity & Infectious Disease expands

Biosecurity Minister David Carter today officially opened a new multipurpose response facility at the Government's National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease (NCBID) in Wallaceville, Upper Hutt.


The facility, which includes a response centre, seminar room and campus administration area, has been designed to accommodate large numbers of staff from different organisations when required to manage a serious disease outbreak.


Mr Carter says the facility will provide another layer of protection and increase New Zealand's capability to safeguard human and animal health, and protect the economy.


"This area will provide a centralised co-ordination and emergency response centre in the event of disease outbreak, biosecurity investigation or chemical and biological threats and events.


"The need for this facility has already been highlighted by recent world events such as Avian Influenza outbreaks in Asia and more recently the H1N1 pandemic.


"We are now able to cluster the largest concentration of bacteriologists, virologists and epidemiologists specialising in animal and human health in New Zealand under one roof."


Mr Carter says the centre is a result of many years of hard work and collaboration by the partners involved.


"I congratulate MAF, AgResearch, ESR and AsureQuality on working closely together to bring this project to fruition."