THE GLOBAL BURDEN OF (HOW WE MANAGE) ANIMAL DISEASE: LEARNING LESSONS FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Public Health
• Environmental Science
• Animal Welfare

Background:

• Livestock health interventions may have significant environmental consequences.
• The principle of "First, do no harm" is crucial for animal health policy.
• A comprehensive Global Burden of Animal Diseases assessment is a recent development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the need for environmentally conscious animal health policies.
• To advocate for data-driven decision-making in animal health and land use.
• To promote sustainable practices for future generations.

Main Methods:

• Review of current understanding of environmental impacts of animal health interventions.
• Announcement of the Global Burden of Animal Diseases initiative.
• Call for integration of ecological considerations into policy.

Main Results:

• Current animal health interventions may not be environmentally benign.
• A new framework for assessing animal diseases globally is being established.
• Opportunity exists to align animal health with ecological sustainability.

Conclusions:

• Urgent need to consider environmental impacts in animal health policy.
• The Global Burden of Animal Diseases initiative can inform sustainable land-use and animal health strategies.
• Holistic, data-driven approaches are essential for long-term ecological and economic well-being.