Webinar WVD 2020 was live-streamed on the ECTAD Indonesia Youtube channel

Jakarta. World Veterinary Day (WVD) marked every year on the last Saturday of April – falls this year on April 25th. The 2020 WVD theme is “Environmental Protection for Improving Animal and Human Health".

Veterinarians play an important role to maintain animal health and have an impact on ensuring human welfare that is closely related to the accessibility of food for the community. "Prevention and control of animal diseases by veterinarians and veterinary paramedics plays a very important role in securing food security and adequate nutrition," said I Ketut Diarmita, Director General of Livestock and Animal Health Services, Ministry of Agriculture in Jakarta, Saturday (25/4).

The rise in emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) in humans in recent years, of which 75% are of animal origin (zoonoses) highlights the essential role of veterinarians at the frontline of zoonoses and EIDs prevention and control.

For World Veterinary Day 2020, FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA) to conduct a webinar for the public with presentations from cross-sectoral ministries, the Indonesian primate research centre and international epidemiologists.

FAO ECTAD Team Leader James McGrane stated that multi-sectoral collaboration using the One Health approach enables national sustainability to control health threats in Indonesia.

“FAO ECTAD and USAID are privileged and very happy to support this webinar on the occasion of World Veterinary Day 2020 along with DGLAHS MoA and the IVMA. It is the right moment to acknowledge the important role of three sectors: environment, animal health, and human health in controlling zoonoses and emerging disease threats in Indonesia. FAO with support from USAID wish to foster a One Health approach that prioritizes coordination, collaboration, and communication across these three sectors.

It is most appropriate to focus on environmental protection in these days when the world is so badly afflicted by COVID-19 caused by a coronavirus, which emerged from wildlife (probably bats) in a progressively threatened and encroached upon the environment.” he explained.

The webinar speakers addressed three issues: environmental threats to animals and community health; the risk of pathogen spillover in the environment; and necessary action to prevent/mitigate the occurrence of emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases. More than 1000 participants from various backgrounds joined the webinar through live streaming on the ECTAD Indonesia YouTube channel.

“On World Veterinary Day, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all veterinarians in Indonesia for providing such a diverse range of services and tireless efforts to secure the health and wellbeing of animals, and by extension the health of the community.” Added FAO ECTAD Team Leader James McGrane.