Dr Mark Schipp on One Health and EAD

_{Image: OCVO staff undertaking an animal health survey in the Solomon Islands}  

One Health Surveillance Initiative

Earlier this year, in collaboration with Wildlife Health Australia (WHA), my office launched a One Health Surveillance Initiative to help mitigate future pandemic and zoonotic disease risks arising from the human-animal-environment interface. The initiative encompasses a broad scope of activities aimed at improving Australia’s wildlife surveillance and intelligence capabilities, protecting the health of Australian wildlife, and contributing to global One Health reform.

Adopting a true One Health approach will boost the capabilities of Australia’s biosecurity system to address a wide range of threats facing our animal and human populations and the health of our environment.

A One Health Investigation Fund has been established to enable thorough investigation of wildlife disease events, identify underlying causes and potential linkages to human, livestock, domestic animal and environmental health. An independent review of the Wildlife Health Incident Support Tool (WILDDeST) is underway to consider multisectoral mechanisms to classify and prioritise wildlife health incidents, and determine if further investigation and interventions are required.

An application has been made to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to designate WHA as an official Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health Risk Management (Indo-Pacific). The centre will focus on drivers of emerging risk, and will position the Indo-Pacific region to achieve meaningful outcomes for wildlife health and improve the wellbeing of human and animal populations. I will be meeting with the WOAH Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania next year to finalise details and expect the Centre to be operational mid-year. 

I congratulate the WHA team for their work, the value of which will become increasingly apparent in the years ahead.

Emergency Animal Disease Veterinary Summit

^{Image: Dr Mark Schipp presenting at the AVA's Emergency Animal Disease Summit in Canberra}

Veterinarians form a crucial part of Australia’s defences against emergency animal disease (EAD) incursions. With multiple EADs threatening Australia’s border, including foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), lumpy skin disease (LSD) and African swine fever (ASF), the need to be prepared for disease outbreaks has never been more apparent.

I recently presented at the AVA’s Emergency Animal Disease Veterinary Summit in Canberra. The various excellent presentations highlighted the latest information on EAD threats to Australia, the role of veterinarians in preventing them, and insights into our EAD preparedness and response mechanisms.

Biosecurity threats are not a new phenomenon however global drivers are constantly changing the risks to Australia. In an increasingly connected world, the EADs encountered across the globe pose a growing risk to Australia. Preparedness at home and regional coordination between neighbouring countries are a necessity to control transboundary animal diseases.  

Early detection and reporting of suspected EADs is crucial in preventing the establishment and spread of disease. Private veterinarians are often the first to investigate, identify, and report unusual diseases. Adding significant EADs to differential lists not only increases the likelihood of early detection, but all negative laboratory test results help to support Australia’s claims of freedom from diseases of concern, facilitating international market access.

Veterinarians are trusted animal health advocates and play a key role in safeguarding Australia’s animal and human health status, trade and market access. I encourage you to continue promoting and sharing information on good biosecurity practices and animal diseases of concern.

Visits to Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands

Based within the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, our Pacific Engagement Program for Animal Health reached its milestone one-year anniversary in August. This program was established to help build better animal health, welfare, One Health, biosecurity and food security capacity outcomes in Pacific Islands Countries and Territories, in support of the Australian Government’s commitment to deepen and sustain engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.

The program has established strong collaborative partnerships with key stakeholders in the region, including the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Heads of Veterinary and Production Services (PHOVAPS) Network, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (NZ MPI), the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Subregional Office of the Pacific (FAO SAP), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH); and is also committed to establishing close bilateral relationships with government agencies in the Pacific countries, including ministries of agriculture and biosecurity authorities.

Members of my team recently undertook a successful collaborative animal health survey with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) and SPC counterparts in the Solomon Islands. They met with local farmers to talk about the challenges of tropical livestock farming, and delivered field-based training for livestock officers on disease surveillance and important emergency animal diseases such as African swine fever. The team also travelled to Fiji earlier this year to co-convene with SPC and NZ MPI a multilateral expert workshop to agree on Pacific regional priority needs to build animal health and production.

I recently visited Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, accompanied by New Zealand’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Mary van Andel. We met with key stakeholders to discuss collaborative ways to improve animal health and biosecurity outcomes in these countries.

These partnerships are pivotal to our engagement across the Indo-Pacific region. The limited veterinary capacity, lack of disease surveillance, poor husbandry and farm management practices, along with the impacts of climate change and increasing risk of emergency animal diseases all create a uniquely challenging environment. We will continue to work with other governments and international organisations in the Pacific to build the collaborative relationships needed to support development goals in animal health and biosecurity.

As the festive season draws near, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your hard work and dedication to animal health, and I wish you a safe and relaxing Christmas and prosperous New Year.

For the latest updates on the work of the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, please follow my social media channels on LinkedIn and Twitter. Please also follow Australian Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Beth Cookson on her social media channels on LinkedIn and Twitter.