‘Solidarity’ plea issued over global disease threats

Global animal health chiefs have called for “a spirit of solidarity” to tackle shortfalls in disease surveillance frameworks.

World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) officials have warned existing systems are already “under strain” in many areas despite detecting significant developments relating to several conditions.

But the group insisted tackling the problem should be seen as a good investment as it urged governments to close the gap between tackling crises and preventing them.

‘Investing’

Speaking ahead of the organisation’s World Assembly of Delegates in Paris, director general Emmanuelle Soubeyran said: “We are investing more than ever in responding to crisis.

“We are investing less than ever in preventing them, and this is the gap this report is asking the world to close.

“Disease does not recognise borders, and the surveillance gap in one country is a vulnerability for every country.

“The choice is not between spending and saving. It is between planned investment in animal health systems and protecting our health and minimising losses.”

Global spending

The plea for unity followed the recent publication of WOAH’s annual State of the World’s Animal Health report, which estimated animals accounted for only 0.6% of global health spending.

It also argued that addressing current deficiencies would cost around US$2.3 billion a year, just 0.05% of the estimated US$3.6 trillion cost of the COVID pandemic.

A joint ministerial statement from the assembly agreed animal health investment should be seen as “a strategic and preventive investment that protects economies, reduces future crises and strengthens societal resilience”.

Declaration

But only 17 ministers, including representatives from France, Spain and the EU, signed a separate declaration arguing the issue should be put at the heart of global health security planning.

WOAH council president Susana Pombo said: “Animal health systems are a global public good. But global public goods require collective financing and the spirit of solidarity.”

Concerns about current preparedness have been further heightened by WOAH assessments that indicated 18% of territories were experiencing a decline in veterinary capacity, with 22% reporting a decline in para-professional capability.

Emerging

A pre-assembly media briefing was told the organisation now recognises avian influenza in bovines as an emerging disease that requires immediate reporting.

Other developments, including the first detections of African swine fever in Spain and Mongolia, an “unprecedented” foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in southern Africa and the detection of a separate FMD serotype well outside its historical area, were also presented as evidence of the need for action.

On the latter case, senior veterinary epidemiologist Paolo Tizzani said: “The mechanism behind this spread is still not very clear and not well understood, and this is an additional reason why we need strong animal health systems in other countries.”

But he added: “All these examples were detected, reported, responded [to] because there were animal health systems in place. In too many places, those systems are under strain.”