Animal health vital to avoid repeat of covid-19 - OIE
Around 75% of emerging infections having been transferred from animals, attendees heard.
Dr Jean-Philippe Dop, deputy director of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), said: “With the pandemic likely originating in wet markets that largely escape veterinary surveillance, it is clear that animal health systems need strengthening as a pillar of One Health, an approach to improving health that links human, animal and environmental health inextricably.”
Antonio Rota from the International Fund for Agricultural Development commented on contributions that healthy animals make to reducing poverty and hunger, and called for smallholder farmers to be put in the centre of policies.
Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, the event moderator and head of Strategic Partnerships, External Affairs and Research at Brooke (Action for Working Horses and Donkeys) said: “Vets and para-vets are on the front line of the fight against zoonotic disease every day, through prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance. And yet, they face a severe lack of training, medicines, resources and support systems. We need to work together to change this.
“Ensuring animals are healthy is also critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Animals, particularly livestock, play a significant role in food security, water security and improved income, benefitting the most vulnerable communities in low and middle income countries.”
See the Nothing to Hide website for more on this subject.
