IN continuation of my previous article on the subject captioned above. It is further enlightened that the distinction between public and private roles in veterinary services is not always clear-cut. Often, these roles overlap, forming a continuum where tasks may be considered public, private, or both, depending on the country. For example, veterinary authorities may outsource tasks to private veterinarians under public service supervision. Regardless of the division, both private and public services rely on each other.
Private veterinarians often first encounter unknown or emerging diseases, making their experience invaluable to veterinary authorities. Delays in reporting such critical signals can have significant consequences, highlighting the importance of effective communication across various platforms. Early detection and response to unusual animal diseases are vital components of preparedness and response frameworks for zoonotic outbreaks.
Now, let’s review the framework and consider the challenges from a veterinary perspective. The preparedness phase aims to ensure that all capacities for early warning, response, and recovery are in place. Monitoring and surveillance systems should detect zoonotic outbreaks as early as possible, requiring early warnings for both known and emerging zoonoses. New infections often bring uncertainty, necessitating extensive information sharing among all parties involved.
The alert phase begins with a signal of a possible outbreak, prompting an investigation to confirm the diagnosis as quickly as possible. Case definitions guide veterinarians on what to look for, and rapid response teams are activated to conduct full investigations. Once the signal is confirmed, the response phase begins, focusing on tracing, detecting, and following up on secondary cases to contain the outbreak. Control measures typically include animal quarantine, movement restrictions, trade bans, treatment, emergency vaccination, and, in severe cases, animal culling.
The recovery phase follows the declaration that the epidemic is over, marking a return to normalcy. This phase is a time for reflection and evaluation, identifying how preparedness, alert, and response processes can be improved for greater efficiency in future outbreaks. To summarize, the animal health sector plays a crucial role in managing zoonotic disease outbreaks through continuous vigilance, effective communication, and coordinated action across all phases of outbreak management.
However, challenges abound, as I’ve mentioned previously. For instance, disagreements between human and animal health sectors regarding control measures during zoonotic outbreaks can lead to conflicts. These issues can be mitigated by jointly defining the approach during the preparedness phase, ensuring that measures are balanced for both effectiveness and societal impact.
—The writer is contributing columnist.
