Mauritius : Building stronger Veterinary Services through public-private collaboration

Strengthening collaboration for sustainable animal health 

The workshop was officially opened by Dr Arvin Boolell, Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries of Mauritius. In his address, the Minister highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between public and private actors in achieving sustainable animal health systems. He also underscored the Ministry’s commitment to fostering a proactive and inclusive mindset aimed at empowering all stakeholders in the sector. 

Empowering the veterinary services 

The workshop aimed to enhance the capacity of the veterinary authority of Mauritius to effectively identify, manage, and evaluate PPPs, while supporting the development of a national roadmap for their sustainable implementation. 

Specifically, the training sought to: 

1. Strengthen the Veterinary Services’ ability to formulate evidence-based arguments for engaging with the private sector. 
2. Provide practical tools and methodologies—including WOAH’s PPP guidelines and monitoring and evaluation frameworks—for stakeholder mapping, business case development, and partnership implementation. 
3. Facilitate the creation of an enabling environment for long-term PPP sustainability through the development of a national roadmap. 

A participatory and context-driven approach 

The Mauritius PPP Targeted Support was implemented through a structured, three-phase process: 

1. Preparation Stage – Orientation webinar and structured questionnaire. 
2. Workshop Implementation – Interactive exercises and group work. 
3. Final Report – Consolidation of outcomes and recommendations. 

This inclusive and participatory approach ensured that results were nationally relevant and stakeholder-driven, reflecting the local context and priorities of Mauritius. 

Workshop highlights 

Over the three days duration of the workshop, participants worked in four thematic groups identified by the Government of Mauritius, focusing on priority areas within the veterinary domain. Through six structured exercises, each group developed a detailed PPP business case, including key components such as stakeholder engagement, implementation timelines, and monitoring frameworks. 

The key outcomes of the workshop were the development of a PPP roadmap for Mauritius, which outlined four thematic areas critical to strengthening the veterinary services: 

1. Veterinary Education, including Continuous Professional Development (CPD) 
2. Laboratory Diagnosis 
3. Food Safety and Meat Inspection 
4. Disease Control, with a focus on Quarantine Services 

The workshop’s consolidation of key findings into a national roadmap for Mauritius is a crucial step towards advancing PPPs that strengthen animal health and veterinary service delivery in Mauritius. 

Towards sustainable partnerships 

The Mauritius PPP Targeted Support established a solid foundation for enduring collaboration between the public and private sectors in animal health. By combining technical guidance, stakeholder participation, and strategic planning, the initiative paves the way for sustainable partnerships that reinforce veterinary governance and national resilience. 

As part of its mission to help strengthen Veterinary Services, WOAH is committed to support countries in implementing PPPs. To help its Members explore, plan, implement and monitor such collaborations, WOAH has developed dedicated guidelines, online courses and an open-access database on PPPs.