The COVID-19 pandemic prompted conversations about the deep connection between animals, humans and the planet we share.
Three years on, the breakdown in this relationship continues to contribute to some of the biggest health threats we face today. Unsustainable human activity and the exploitation of nature means diseases are emerging from animals, and jumping to people and it has become clear that the health of animals directly impacts the health of humans.
What's the problem?
Animal health systems in many parts of the world suffer the consequences of underinvestment. This risks the emergence of zoonotic diseases, anti-microbial resistance, and animal diseases that threaten livelihoods. An animal health system is the people, institutions and resources that deliver healthcare services to animals and their owners.
For instance, Pakistan has just 12 000 registered vets. The UK has twice as many, yet Pakistan has almost 10 times as many farm animals. Ghana estimates it needs 8 000 animal health practitioners to cater for its millions of livestock, but has just one tenth of these actually available.
These workers are on the frontline of detecting, preventing and responding to pathogens that could spread from animals to people. They are an essential part of the global health workforce and help to protect us all.
The political traction of One Health
One Health is an approach which refers to the intrinsic connection between human, animal and environmental health. In the wake of COVID-19, the approach is gaining political traction at the highest levels to combat global health threats.
Governments are negotiating a new international law to oblige countries to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. Many governments have agreed that One Health should be a core component of any new law.
Animal health systems are critical to the prevention of disease, the early detection of pathogens, and reporting, control and prevention of spread. Practitioners have varying levels of training and skills and are in short supply in some zoonotic disease transmission hotspots. Poor animal welfare encourages transmission of disease, and animal-based food systems can be a major driver of zoonotic events.
The current threat of avian influenza we are facing is a key example of this. It is having a devastating impact on birds and is moving into mammals. While spillover to people is currently rare, it is imperative to stop the spread within the animal population before the diseases moves to people. To do this, we need an adequate workforce, access to vaccines, and decent surveillance systems.
Without investment in animal health, it will be impossible to put One Health into practice to prevent the next pandemic.
Advocating for animal health as an industry
The Action for Animal Health coalition was formed by Brooke, an international NGO, in April 2020. It currently consists of 15 like-minded organisations from across the globe that have come together to advocate for greater investment in animal health systems. The coalition advocates for investment in five areas: community engagement and access to services; upskilling the animal health workforce; improving access to veterinary medicines and vaccines; effective surveillance; and an equal partnership between animal health and human health in One Health initiatives.
In a recent report, Action for Animal Health found that investment in these areas of animal health can directly support global health security, food safety and security, and secure livelihoods.
While Brooke's mission is to protect and promote the welfare of working equids, it also works to strengthen animal health systems as a whole in its countries of operation. For instance, Brooke devised and implemented the animal health mentoring framework, which is a list of essential skills and competencies used to assess and improve the skills of animal health practitioners. Thousands of practitioners have been mentored through this framework so far.
Read the Action for Animal Health report
Action for Animal Health set out to evidence the state of animal health systems in lower and middle income countries.
The report shows how these systems make a significant contribution to sustainable development. Animal health is not being treated as an equal partner in some One Health initiatives, and the regulation, legislation and implementation of animal health practitioners is lacking in many areas.
Read the report on the Action for Animal Health website: https://actionforanimalhealth.org/. The Action for Animal Health coalition consists of: Brooke, African Union Inter African Bureau For Animal Resources, Dogs Trust Worldwide, Compassion in World Farming, Farm Africa, Ripple Effect, Soi Dog, SEBI Live-stock, International Livestock Research Institute, Global Alliance for Rabies Control, GALVmed, VSF International, World Veterinary Association. They also collaborate with Preventing Pandemics at the Source, and Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network.