"Animal Health takes a team" : WOAH's enduring commitment

“Animal health takes a team,” highlighting the field’s collaborative nature.

The World Organisation for Animal Health’s unwavering commitment to animal health for over a century resonates strongly with the 2025 World Veterinary Day theme: “Animal health requires a team”. WOAH has played an important role in strengthening veterinary services around the world, encouraging the collaborative efforts reflected in this year’s theme. The synergy between WOAH’s global standards and the localised action of its regional teams perfectly embodies the “Animal health takes a team” ethos.

WOAH is an authority in animal health, through its standards setting for animal health and welfare. The guidelines and recommendations on disease prevention, surveillance, and control provide a framework for countries to build robust Veterinary Service systems. By facilitating the transparent reporting of animal diseases, WOAH enables early detection and rapid response, crucial elements in preventing the spread of potentially devastating outbreaks across borders. This global oversight fosters a collective responsibility, recognising that animal health challenges transcend national boundaries and demand a unified approach.

WOAH, in the region, through its outstanding team of veterinarians, supports Member Countries and Territories (‘Members’) by complementing the global frameworks, which plays a vital role in tailoring interventions to the specific needs and contexts of Members. Our teams work closely with national Veterinary Services, providing technical expertise, capacity building, and facilitating regional collaboration.

Over the years, they have understood the unique animal health challenges prevalent in the region, owing to its complexities, whether it’s a specific endemic disease or the need for improved diagnostic infrastructure etc. By fostering partnerships, knowledge sharing and learning, WOAH team in Africa, endeavor to empower veterinary services and strengthens the overall animal health network in the region.

As we commemorate this year’s WVD, we highlight some of our team members, who have had longstanding experience working in the field of animal health, and form part of WOAH’s formidable veterinarians.

As a region, we implore our Members to foster close(r) collaboration across sectors, work with their network of national and regional experts, to better understand the epidemiology of the disease and to strengthen their capacities within their national Veterinary Services.

Happy World Veterinary Day 2025!