Twinning is winning. The successful completion of an OIE-backed veterinary education twinning project in Bangladesh

The veterinary education twinning project between the United States of America (USA) and Bangladesh has proven to be a winner and has allowed the Chattogram (former Chittagong) Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) in Chattogram, Bangladesh to improve its DVM curriculum by aligning with the OIE’s recommended core curriculum and day-one competencies, introducing active learning methods (Problem Based Learning: PBL) and implementing continuing education (CE) programmes. The project’s success was facilitated by mutual respect for different cultural views and open discussion of perceived limitations and collaborative approaches, and it has achieved an impact well beyond CVASU. This is evidenced by the newer veterinary schools that have adopted the CVASU curriculum, the others that have requested training in PBL, the deans who are engaged in improving veterinary curricula and clinical training, and the organisation of national CE programmes for veterinarians in Bangladesh.

A closer look at the project

With the aim of helping to contain the spread of zoonotic diseases – those transmitted between animals and humans – in 2014, the OIE funded and helped to orchestrate the five-year twinning project between CVASU and Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (Cummings School) at Tufts University in North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA, with the aim of establishing ongoing collaboration in curriculum development.

‘The exchange of knowledge goes both ways’

During the project, which concluded in 2019, students from CVASU undertook a seven-week visit to Cummings School, where they attended classes and completed clinical rotations – benefiting from more hands-on learning and exposure to advanced diagnostic tools, such as CT scans, MRI and PCR tests. And each summer, Cummings School students travelled to Bangladesh to study avian influenza, antibiotic residues, E. coli and rotavirus in food animals, and other global health challenges facing humans, animals and the environment. Some of the summer research findings were published in international scientific journals (Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Echo Health).

The primary goal of the twinning project was to align the CVASU veterinary curriculum with the OIE Recommendations on the Competencies of Graduating Veterinarians (‘Day 1 Graduates’) to Assure National Veterinary Services of Quality and the OIE Guidelines on Veterinary Education Core Curriculum. In order to produce competent veterinarians, the CVASU veterinary curriculum required relevant content and student-centred active learning methods, such as PBL and hands-on clinical training. In addition, to maintain the level of competency beyond graduation, a CE programme needed to be developed and implemented. Together, these objectives drove the twinning project over the last five years.

Working together step by step

Faculty members from both CVASU and Cummings School began the twinning project by comparing the existing curriculum at CVASU with OIE recommendations, discussing whether to include or expand certain topics in the curriculum, and together they developed a list of recommendations. CVASU faculty members were then charged with revising the curriculum based on these recommendations. To ensure that relevant topics were covered in appropriate courses, they were also asked to provide a list of outcome-based learning objectives, major contents and references for each course. A final workshop was devoted to ensuring that the revised curriculum aligned with OIE recommendations.

Attention was next directed towards adopting active learning methods, such as PBL, and improving clinical training at CVASU. To demonstrate how PBL helps students become better learners, the twinning project created a series of seminars and workshops for CVASU faculty members that covered PBL basics and the facilitation of PBL sessions (using cases developed at Cummings School), and then helped these faculty members to try their hand at preparing their own PBL cases. CVASU faculty members ultimately agreed to make PBL part of their curriculum – developing 23 PBL cases relevant to veterinary care in Bangladesh.

To improve clinical training, which was necessary to meeting the OIE’s recommended ‘Day 1’ competencies, the twinning project helped CVASU partner with more established training sites in Bangladesh and India, while providing CVASU students and faculty members with additional clinical training at Cummings School. A total of 253 students received clinical internship training at Madras Veterinary College, Namakkal Veterinary College and Research Institute, and Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) in India. In addition, 16 students and 12 faculty members received clinical training at Cummings School, while 10 students from Cummings School conducted research at CVASU that resulted in three peer-reviewed publications and 10 internal research reports.

To facilitate and enhance clinical training in Bangladesh, CVASU also built a better clinical facility on its campus and opened a hospital for pets in Dhaka, the country’s capital. During clinical training, students are now required to discuss their rationales for diagnosis and management of diseases. This discussion includes reviewing published clinical and other relevant articles to encourage evidence-based learning.

Since the total hours available to deliver the curriculum was limited, CVASU reorganised its timetable to accommodate the newly introduced PBL course in the four-year curriculum, more field experience in the form of an internship programme, and more hours devoted to specific courses, such as veterinary epidemiology, preventive veterinary medicine and general pharmacology.

The next step was to have the revised curriculum approved by the university. This required approval by CVASU Veterinary Faculty Executive Committee, the CVASU academic council, and finally the CVASU syndicate, which includes expertise from other universities and veterinary medicine.

With a revised curriculum in place, several workshops were devoted to establishing a viable CE programme at CVASU. The purpose was twofold, firstly to improve the current practice of diagnosing, preventing and combating animal diseases by practising veterinarians, and secondly to increase the number of practising veterinarians trained to provide internship training that emphasises ‘Day 1’ competencies.

The development and implementation of the CE programme required several workshops with various stakeholders and presentations on why it was necessary. The CE programmes were designed to provide updated information with a brief general background on the topics covered. Eleven CE sessions were ultimately held during the twinning project, and each session was attended by 12 to 25 practising veterinarians. Participants rated the CE sessions with a score of 3.6 to 4.9 on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest).

As a spin off event “National DVM Intern Conference” was conducted for 4 consecutive years. These events helped students to meet a number of OIE Recommended Competencies: i) communication skills, ii) analytical skills, iii) networking skills and iv) professionalism and confidence.  

A more complete report on this project has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.

The OIE would like to thank Distinguished Professor M. Sawkat Anwer, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Professor Md. Ahasanul Hoque, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Bangladesh for their contribution of this article.

More information:

• OIE’s Veterinary Education Portal
• OIE’s Guide to Veterinary Education Twinning Projects
• OIE Recommendations on the Competencies of Graduating Veterinarians (‘Day 1 graduates’) to Assure National Veterinary Services of Quality
• Veterinary Education Core Curriculum, OIE Guidelines

February 2020

Communiqué
G20 Agriculture and Water Ministers
November 22, 2020

[ Download the PDF communiqué ]

Preamble

1. We, the G20 Agriculture and Water Ministers, met on September 12, 2020 and confirmed our will to strengthen our policy cooperation towards food security and nutrition as well as our intent to work towards sustainable and resilient water management. These issues have profound implications for people’s wellbeing, economic growth and ability to cope with environmental and health challenges, including natural disasters, biodiversity loss and diseases, for a fast growing, urbanized and interconnected world population. We are deeply saddened by the devastating human losses and suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize its impact on food security and nutrition, and we also recognize the importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene services to tackle the pandemic. We remain committed to strengthening the resilience and sustainability of food systems at all levels. We also recognize the critical importance of adequate access to safe and sufficient water for human life, health and food security, and therefore the need for sustainable and integrated water resources management.
2. We acknowledge the consistent focus on food security and nutrition, as well as sustainable agri-food value chains in past G20 Presidencies. Recalling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we identified collective efforts to foster resilient, inclusive and sustainable agriculture and food systems and water management. We recognize the significant challenges to food security and water management posed by a multitude of factors including climate change, extreme weather events and natural disasters among others. In this regard, we recall the 2019 Osaka Leaders’ Declaration. We highlight the importance of open, transparent and predictable trade, consistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, to enhance market predictability, increase business confidence, and allow agri-food trade to flow so as to contribute to food security and nutrition.
3. In this context, we commit to work together on the issues below.

I. Responding to COVID-19

4. We, the G20 Agriculture Ministers, reaffirm the commitments made in our Ministerial Statement on April 21, 2020, in particular to cooperate closely and take concrete and effective actions to safeguard global food security and nutrition. We acknowledge and appreciate the tremendous efforts being made by all actors to help keep food supply chains functioning under difficult circumstances, including during times where there are imbalances between supply and demand. We will continue to guard against any unjustified restrictive measures that could lead to excessive food price volatility in international markets, which could threaten the continued recovery of all facets of the global food supply chain and more broadly food security and nutrition. We agree that emergency or recovery measures in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic must be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary; that they do not create unnecessary barriers to trade or disruption to global food supply chains; and are consistent with WTO rules. We commend the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers’ endorsement of the “G20 Actions to Support World Trade and Investment in Response to COVID-19” on May 14, 2020, which includes the action to “refrain from introducing export restrictions on agricultural products, including on products purchased for non-commercial humanitarian purposes, and avoid unnecessary food-stockpiling, without prejudice to domestic food security, consistent with national requirements.”
5. We call on international organizations to continue monitoring and reporting on the impacts of COVID-19 on food security and nutrition, advise on preventative, emergency and recovery measures and to provide recommendations on strengthening the global agriculture and food system resilience and sustainability in the wake of COVID-19, and in accordance with our commitments in the April Statement. In line with the One Health approach, we call for strengthened mechanisms for monitoring, early warning, preparedness, prevention, detection, response, and control of zoonotic diseases, and developing science-based international guidelines on stricter safety and hygienic measures for zoonosis control. Moreover, and without prejudice to applicable international rules on wildlife trade, we call upon the Tripartite to develop a list of wildlife species and conditions under which they could present significant risks of transmitting zoonoses, and to issue guidelines towards mitigating these risks.
6. We particularly acknowledge the important contributions of the Agriculture Market Information System (AMIS) initiative, and the Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) to enhancing food market transparency and supporting coordinated policy responses for food security, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure AMIS’s work in reducing global food market uncertainties continues, we agree to provide data and voluntary resources to the AMIS initiative. We strive for continued and proactive support of these initiatives, including through voluntary financial contributions.

II. Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (RIAFS)

7. We consider that a significant increase in responsible investment in agriculture and food systems is needed to meet the global challenge of feeding the growing population in an inclusive and socially, environmentally and economically sustainable manner. Prior to COVID-19, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that additional investments of US$265 billion per year during 2016–2030 would be necessary to end hunger in the world. We are concerned by the likely substantial increase in the number of people, in particular rural women and youth, suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition following the COVID-19 pandemic. Substantial and continued investments are needed for countries, particularly developing countries, to foster sustainable and resilient food systems that can contribute to achieve long term food security, meet requirements for improved nutrition, enhance livelihoods, increase agriculture and food sector productivity sustainably. There is scope for improving the alignment of support to agriculture with responsible investment principles, in line with WTO rules, and with the goal of making agriculture more productive, sustainable and resilient. We acknowledge and encourage the critical role of the private sector to build upon public efforts to improve agri-food systems for the benefit of all stakeholders.
8. We affirm the importance of promoting, scaling-up and monitoring the use of internationally agreed voluntary guidance, such as the Committee on World Food Security Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI Principles) to help meet responsible investment needs. We welcome the on-going work under various partnerships between investors and delivery partners in this area. We also acknowledge that G20 members, through their international leadership role, can continue promoting responsible agricultural investment to improve the sustainability in agriculture and food systems. In line with the CFSRAI Principles and the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT), we encourage possible recipient countries of agricultural investment to develop more robust legal and regulatory mechanisms that protect the legitimate tenure rights and other rights of individuals and local communities, including food sector farmers/producers and workers. It is also necessary to take into account the crucial role played by family farms, small-scale farmers and women in meeting food demand. We recognize that responsible investment in agriculture and food systems is a pillar of the G20 Framework for Food Security and Nutrition and its importance has been emphasized in previous G20 Agriculture Ministers’ and Leaders’ Declarations. We note that responsible investments in agriculture and food systems and trade in agri-food products are interlinked, and are important for global food security and nutrition, food safety, inclusive economic growth, farm profitability, rural prosperity, decent work and job opportunities and sustainable development.
9. Increased public sector investment can play a role in leveraging responsible investment in agriculture and food systems by the private sector and will be particularly important in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to increase responsible investment in agriculture and food systems must recognize that a significant portion of investment in agriculture is made by farmers themselves. Therefore, further efforts are needed to enable greater participation of private resources for rural credit funding and the use of capital market and risk management instruments to help farmers expand their possibilities of credit acquisition. Also, expanding opportunities for the participation of small-scale and other family farms, micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and entrepreneurs in agri-food value chains is necessary, with a specific focus on the inclusion of women and youth. We will further support the expanded implementation of the VGGT, the CFS-RAI Principles, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)–FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains and related instruments, support their monitoring and encourage implementation through existing mechanisms and efforts.
10. We endorse the G20 Riyadh Statement to Enhance Implementation of Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (G20 Riyadh RIAFS Statement) consistent with these internationally agreed instruments. This Statement underlines the importance of increasing responsible investments to drive sustainable and inclusive growth in the agriculture and food sectors.

III. Rural Development

Recognizing the United Nations Decade of Family Farming, we emphasize the importance of rural development and acknowledge the challenges for many family farms, which account for the majority of the world’s farms and food production. Many smaller-scale family farms and rural communities, particularly in developing countries, suffer from poverty or struggle economically, and the current COVID-19 crisis exacerbated their difficulties, with rural women and youth being especially vulnerable. We encourage efforts to enhance the sustainability, resilience and efficiency of value chains, strengthening the links between small-scale farmers, producers and markets and recall the objectives of the 2017 G20 Initiative for Rural Youth Employment. Responsible investment needs to harness market opportunities in agriculture and food systems to advance rural economies in an inclusive and sustainable way to allow farmers to thrive while preventing degradation of natural resources. In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and recognizing that rural economies have significant variation across the G20 member countries, strengthening rural economies is a foundation for ensuring food security and nutrition, tackling poverty and for creating economic opportunities, including decent work, for rural populations. To support rural development, we recognize the need for increased investments in rural infrastructure, including through public–private partnerships (PPPs), improved sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring people in rural areas have access to safe, resilient and sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services, energy, digital services, and basic social services responsive to women and youth including education and healthcare. We also recognize the importance of targeted approaches to agricultural and rural development in resource-challenged areas, and the importance of strengthening the meaningful participation, in particular of women and youth, in agri-food development decision-making processes. We acknowledge the importance of investment in rural development as part of the G20 Riyadh RIAFS Statement.

IV. Food Loss and Waste (FL&W)

12. Under the current challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, we stress the importance of avoiding food loss and waste, in particular caused by disruptions throughout global food supply chains, which could exacerbate food insecurity, malnutrition and economic loss. Preserving the smooth functioning of food markets and identifying new markets and marketing channels consistent with WTO rules can help reduce economic loss for producers while mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on consumers. We recognize that FL&W is a serious global issue with approximately one third of food being lost or wasted. This issue demands increased cooperation and action by G20 members through improved awareness, novel practices and innovative approaches including sharing case studies and data analysis. We acknowledge the need for an integrated and comprehensive food systems approach and call for cross-sectional inter-ministerial cooperation as appropriate.
13. We commit to continue furthering FL&W reduction initiatives and reaffirm the need for each country to voluntarily set baselines in line with any agreed international methodologies for measuring food loss and waste. We endeavor to work closely with FAO, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the OECD, the Collaboration Initiative on FL&W launched at the Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists of G20 States (MACS) in 2015 and other relevant international bodies at global, regional and sub-regional levels to improve data collection mechanisms and the quality and availability of FL&W baseline estimates, share experiences on national practices and measuring FL&W, and to make progress on reducing FL&W. We seek to accelerate efforts to ensure G20 members have FL&W reduction targets and the means to measure actions and progress towards these targets. We commit to further share best practices through the Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste as well as the Global Platform for FL&W research and experts, both established under the G20 Turkish Presidency in 2015, and advocate G20-partnerships to share practical experiences.
14. We acknowledge the goal of voluntarily establishing intermediate country-specific targets to strengthen efforts to halve, by 2030, per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. We support enhanced collaboration and cooperation between public, private and civil society actors; the adoption of sustainable business models and technologies; the redistribution of surplus food that would otherwise be wasted; the sustainable processing of food waste without compromising public and animal health; the promotion of education programs as well as behavioral changes along all food chains to prevent and reduce FL&W including at the level of consumers. We note that measures aimed at reducing food loss and waste through the agri-food value chain should not lead to a decrease in the level of safety and quality of food products.
15. We recognize that plant pests and diseases and animal diseases are significant contributors to reduced production and also to food loss at the post-harvest or post-production stage, which could be reduced with appropriate sanitary and phytosanitary measures. We recognize the growing risk of transboundary plant pests and diseases and animal diseases, and the crippling effect pest and disease outbreaks can have on food security and nutrition, farmers’ livelihoods, trade and economic growth, as well as the risks to human health. We stress the need for collaborative research, knowledge and experience sharing as well as information gathering about the current status of emerging and existing transboundary plant pests and diseases and animal diseases, identifying best practices and appropriate technologies for prevention, detection and mitigation of risks, and strengthening policy responses. Taking into consideration 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH), we encourage the continued development of the ePhyto hub and increased uptake in its use. We affirm the importance of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) standards and the use of the OIE World Animal Health Information System and the FAO/OIE Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases mechanism in order to increase our preparedness for future plant pests and diseases and animal disease outbreaks.

V. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

16. We acknowledge the increasing occurrence of resistance to antimicrobial agents in some microorganisms, including pathogens, that can be transmitted directly between humans and animals as well as through the food chain and via the environment. We are concerned about inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents in agriculture and food systems globally, which is not in line with OIE and Codex international standards, and the risk this poses to human, animal and environmental health. Use of antimicrobials can select for resistance, so we reaffirm our commitment to reduce the need for and inappropriate use of antimicrobials in agriculture and food systems. We recognize that without coordinated and collaborative global efforts in relevant sectors, risks to human, animal and environmental health due to AMR would further increase. Consequently, and in line with the One Health approach, we reaffirm the commitments G20 Agriculture Ministers made previously in that regard and commit to accelerate the global fight against AMR in agriculture and food systems on the basis of internationally agreed OIE and Codex standards. We note on-going discussions in inter-sectorial or interdisciplinary fora such as the Tripartite Plus organizations (WHO, FAO, OIE and UNEP), Codex, IPPC, and other United Nations related bodies including the General Assembly and encourage the work of the Tripartite Plus organizations to enhance the capacity of countries to combat AMR.
17. We stress the importance of fostering basic and applied research and development (R&D) to produce tools and technologies to minimize the development of resistance, strengthen infection prevention and control, as well as maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents. We recognize the launch of the “Dynamic Dashboard” by the Global AMR R&D Hub presenting AMR R&D investments globally in digital form. We agree to strive to implement integrated surveillance for and sharing of information on AMR. We recognize the need for further coordinated multi-sectoral action to reduce the spread of AMR at the human–animal–environment interface and look forward to working with countries outside the G20 on this topic at the “One Health” UN high-level dialogue on AMR.

VI. Stocktaking Exercise and MACS

18. We recognize the importance of stocktaking of the progress of previously launched G20 initiatives to ensure their relevance and consistency. We will actively support the relevant initiatives as part of our collective global efforts to improve food systems, ensure food security and nutrition and support rural development.
19. We highly appreciate the role of MACS in identifying research priorities and targets and facilitating global scientific collaboration, in particular considering the currently unfolding impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food systems across regions. We encourage the MACS’ activities to maximize the use of existing global efforts aimed at advancing technologies and practices for sustainably increasing animal and plant productivity in drylands and more globally for sustainable and resilient food systems. We welcome their activities for promoting and sharing innovative and sustainable agricultural practices, including the application of cutting-edge technologies, to address global food security and nutrition challenges and the demand for water in the context of the water-energy-food nexus. We reaffirm that all these activities will accelerate our cooperation and strengthen our scientific collaboration to achieve sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems, improve plant and animal health, conserve our natural environment, and contribute to global food security and nutrition.

VII. Shaping New Frontiers

20. We emphasize the importance of digital transformation and innovation in agriculture and sustainable water management, particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by knowledge and information sharing, and encourage such collaboration to be founded on the principles of openness, inclusiveness, transparency, reciprocity and excellence. We also emphasize the importance of investment in research and development (R&D) to promote the use of sustainable new technologies and approaches, as well as to foster business models and value-chain innovation, so “no one will be left behind”, as outlined in and to help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ambitions and create sustainable food supply chains to facilitate food security and nutrition.
21. In this context, we encourage acceleration in the development and use of sustainable technologies and practices both for agriculture and for water, in order to support the development of more productive, efficient, resilient, inclusive and sustainable food and integrated water resources management systems. New technologies should be used in tandem with existing approaches such as nature-based solutions or ecosystem-based approaches, among other options, as appropriate. We stress the importance of empowering women and youth to help shape innovation and have equitable access to productive assets, financial services, information and skills training in order to promote inclusive growth. We encourage efforts to extend digital infrastructure and services to rural areas, where it lags behind urban areas, to promote productivity, sustainability, resilience and employment opportunities in agriculture, especially for rural women and youth. We encourage the use of inclusive decision support systems, such as inclusive and participatory approaches, for research and innovation with the objective to boost implementation of adapted research results across the agricultural and food sector.

VIII. Fostering Sustainable and Resilient Water Management

22. We, the G20 Water Ministers, acknowledge the 2016 G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Communiqué commitment to invest more in agricultural research and infrastructure to improve sustainable water management in agriculture. In addition, we recall the Agriculture Ministers’ commitment to the 2017 G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Action Plan, “Towards food and water security: Fostering sustainability, advancing innovations”. We also further note the 2018 G20 Buenos Aires Leaders’ Declaration emphasizing the importance of sustainable water management practices and the 2019 G20 Osaka Leaders’ Declaration on the urgent need to address fresh water and marine pollution as a complex and pressing issue.
23. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we commit to, as part of an environmentally sustainable, resilient, and inclusive recovery, cooperating closely and taking concrete actions to maintain existing services and accelerate the extension of access to safe, resilient, and sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services across the world, as they are essential to tackle all infectious diseases. To enable critical hygienic measures such as handwashing, we commit to take action to provide adequate access to safe and affordable water, including in health care facilities.
24. We recognize that availability of safe and reliable water and reducing the risk and impact of water-related disasters are critical for social wellbeing and economic stability, resilient sustainable development since human and animal health, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, agriculture, industry, energy, livelihoods, poverty reduction, gender and social equality depend on the availability of water in adequate quantity and quality in a sustainable and inclusive manner. Unsustainable water consumption, low water efficiency and lack of integrated water resources management increase the risks of water scarcity and pollution, damages from water-related disasters, desertification, soil erosion and salinization, biodiversity loss, the degradation of water and water-related ecosystems as well as limited safe water consumption and access to water supply and sanitation services.
25. We consider water a vital concern at all levels as water challenges affect human life, people’s livelihoods, global supply chains, food security, nutrition and ecosystems. We recognize that these impacts are disproportionately felt by poor and vulnerable people. We appreciate the efforts to address water challenges at all appropriate levels and see the value in strengthening the efficiency of current mechanisms and instruments. We thus encourage the international community to work more closely together especially with the UN system, including UN-Water, through the promotion of cooperation and collaboration on sustainable, integrated water management, as appropriate, aligning agendas, sharing innovation and best practices and reducing duplication and maximizing synergies towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 6.
26. Current global levels of water-related investment are inadequate to achieve the SDGs. Estimates from OECD and the World Water Council indicate that global financing needs for water and sanitation infrastructure could reach US$22.6 trillion by 2050. We recognize the need to strengthen the enabling environment for responsible investment and to mobilize all financial and non-financial resources, national and international, public and private, including blended financing, in line with PPPs, to address water challenges and note the numerous existing opportunities to share information and best practices on innovative financial solutions for water infrastructure.
27. Given the impact of water scarcity and poor water quality on the water cycle and sustainable development, as well as the significant impact on biodiversity and ecosystems, we underline the need to recognize the social and environmental value and economic dimensions of water, as appropriate; to manage water in a resilient, sustainable and integrated manner; to prioritize water demand management and conservation and substantially increase water use efficiency and water productivity; to develop solutions to work towards sustainable use, including nature-based solutions or ecosystem-based approaches, as appropriate; and to address risks to water quality and quantity, and prevent or reduce the impact of water-related disasters. These principles apply across sectors and different types of farming systems, from irrigated to rainfed, which can increase crop productivity sustainably to support global food security and job creation in rural areas.
28. We encourage water savings when possible and the development of sustainable nonconventional water resources, such as re-use of treated wastewater. We encourage doing so in a way that fully integrates sanitary and environmental issues (safe drinking water, avoid pollution), prevents and avoids negative side effects, in particular at the basin scale, and promotes water conservation and efficient use of water resources. We will incorporate the principles of sustainable water management – in particular by focusing on reducing, reusing and recycling and in the context of sustainable consumption and production. Moreover, at all appropriate levels, water policies and regulations need to be strengthened to implement integrated water resources management, recognizing the inelastic supply of water as an integral factor, and to improve policy coherence across water-using sectors, taking into account local conditions and countries’ different levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities. We will promote dialogue and the sharing of best practices to foster innovation in addressing water challenges.
29. We acknowledge that, globally, the ongoing measures to address water stress and pollution are not commensurate with the magnitude of the challenge. We commit to increase collaboration at all appropriate levels to advance research and capacity development to tackle water-related risks, particularly water stress.
30. We appreciate the valuable work of the G20 Dialogue on Water, including the implementation of the Water Coordination Roadmap for G20 water-related activities and actions, the best practices compiled on the topic of managing water, sanitation, and hygiene to combat water-related diseases and pandemics, in the face of COVID-19, and the Best Practices Roadmap for a digital platform of countries’ best practices and experiences related to sustainable and resilient water management. We encourage considering the continuation of this work, on a voluntary and non-binding basis and within the mandate of the G20, under future presidencies.

IX. Conclusion

We, the G20 Agriculture and Water Ministers, acknowledge the importance of intensifying our efforts towards food security and nutrition and towards sustainable and resilient water management including through the exchange of best practices, at all appropriate levels and strengthening our cooperation with relevant stakeholders to achieve common goals. In this context, we look forward to the organization of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and the 2023 UN Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028’. We express our deep gratitude to Japan for its efforts on the G20 Presidency in 2019. We express our deep appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its resourceful and determined leadership of the G20 in the face of the devastating global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to the work of the Italian G20 Presidency in 2021.

Authors

N. De Briyne ⁽¹⁾*, P. Dalla Villa ⁽²⁾*, D. Ellis ⁽³⁾, G. Golab ⁽⁴⁾, K. Gruszynski ⁽⁵⁾, A. Hammond-Seaman ⁽⁶⁾, S. Moody ⁽¹⁾, Z. Noga ⁽⁷⁾, E. Pawloski ⁽⁵⁾, M. Ramos ⁽⁸⁾, H. Simmons ⁽³⁾, J. Tickel ⁽³⁾ & G. Vroegindewey ⁽⁵⁾

(1) Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE), Avenue Tervueren 12, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
(2) Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
(3) Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), Texas A&M University System, United States
(4) American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, Illinois, United States
(5) Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU CVM), Tennessee, United States
(6) RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 9RS, United Kingdom
(7) World Veterinary Association (WVA), Avenue Tervueren 12, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
(8) National Animal Health and Agrifood Quality Service (SENASA), Av. Paseo Colón 367, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

* Corresponding authors: P. Dalla Villa and N. De Briyne

The designations and denominations employed and the presentation of the material in this article do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the OIE concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.
The views expressed in this article are solely the responsibility of the author(s). The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by the OIE in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

Summary

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) represents 182 countries with a focus on animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health. The OIE has several Collaborating Centres that support the work of the organisation. The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘Giuseppe Caporale’ (IZSAM) is the Secretariat for the OIE Collaborating Centre Network on Veterinary Emergencies (EmVetNet). In April 2020, the IZSAM initiated a COVID-19 Thematic Platform on Animal Welfare. The working group represented the EmVetNet Collaborating Centres, international institutions, veterinary associations, authorities and animal welfare organisations. Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine recruited summer research students whom catalogued over 1,200 animal welfare related reports and provided 64 report narratives for the working group. IZSAM launched the EmVetNet website (https://emvetnet.izs.it) for public and private exchange of information, materials, and guidelines related to veterinary emergencies. The EmVetNet COVID-19 Thematic Platform on Animal Welfare continues to meet to address emerging issues, strengthen the network for future emergencies, and share information with stakeholders including national Veterinary Services responding to the epidemic.

Introduction

Starting from the first half of 2020, COVID-19 – caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus – spread through almost all countries in the world. Many countries introduced country-wide or regional lock-downs to reduce the spread of infection. While the lockdown measures varied slightly per country/region, almost all countries closed schools and non-essential shops, bars and restaurants. Only essential businesses and key workers were allowed to continue working and travelling whilst social activity outside the home ceased. At the time of writing, many countries are still fighting to contain SARS-CoV-2 virus, whilst trying to address the resulting economic challenge that has sent many countries spiralling into the worst economic crisis since World War Two.

The psychological toll on people due to the anxiety caused by the novel virus, and also by the harsh isolation and social distancing measures imposed to prevent the spread of the virus, will only be truly known years from now. However, mental health professionals and institutions are already ringing alarm bells [1].

The crisis caused by this pandemic does not only affect people. Animals are indirect victims of the pandemic too. COVID-19 has had, and will continue to have for some time into the future, an impact on the health and welfare of almost all animals, including companion animals, livestock, laboratory animals and wildlife.

The COVID-19 Thematic Platform on Animal Welfare was created in April 2020 to oversee and try to reduce the impact of this pandemic on animals.

Setting and composition of the network

In early April 2020, the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘Giuseppe Caporale’ (IZSAM) brought together several global institutions and experts who were dealing with the animal welfare impacts of the pandemic to form the COVID-19 Thematic Platform on Animal Welfare.

IZSAM provides the Secretariat for the three OIE Collaborating Centres with a veterinary emergency focus. These centres are known as the Emergency Veterinary Network (EmVetNet). The other two EmVetNet centres are the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases at Texas A&M University, United States of America (USA), and Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CENSA) in Mayabeque, Cuba. The aim of EmVetNet is to provide OIE Members with advice and technical assistance during events that have catastrophic or widespread impact on animal health. EmVetNet also promotes the sharing of knowledge on best practices (including models and case studies, e.g. model legislation, contingency/emergency plans, communication) and provides training, capacity building, exercises and evaluation across the emergency management cycle for all hazards at the international level. COVID-19 is, without doubt, a hazard that urgently needed intervention. This led to the setting up of the COVID-19 Thematic Platform on Animal Welfare, within the framework of the EmVetNet 2020–2024 action plan.

With the current crisis, it is crucial that, amongst other activities linked to animal disease prevention and management and food and feed safety and security, Veterinary Services can ensure that critical situations can be adequately managed when animal welfare is at risk.

Starting in April with just a few members, the COVID-19 Thematic Platform on Animal Welfare quickly grew to a global network of experts, stakeholders and institutions from different sectors. Between early April and September, eight meetings of the network were held.

Crucial to the work of the network was the extensive support given by Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) College of Veterinary Medicine, which dedicated 18 veterinary students, 2 undergraduate students, 7 veterinary faculty and 3 staff to support the network by collecting, fact checking, collating and analysing all data sources on the welfare impact of COVID-19.

Members of the network

Aims and methodology

The aim of setting up this network was to bring together worldwide institutions and experts, all working together to assess and describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on animal welfare in order to exchange information, policies and good practice to prevent or alleviate welfare concerns, while also taking into account the needs for disease prevention, food security and food safety. Specifically, the network serves a supporting role for Veterinary Services within OIE Members to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on animal welfare.

The network started with members mapping the animal welfare consequences of COVID-19 in their country/region or discipline, such as the abandonment of companion animals and closing of slaughterhouses.

Following the initial phase, an inclusive and automated method was developed to retrieve information on the animal welfare impacts of COVID-19 from all over the world. This was done by programming an online survey using the Qualtrics platform. This platform allows information to be collected and helps to analyse data. The online survey was created so that it could be easily completed on both computers and mobile devices.

The survey asked respondents for the following information:

• links for information sources (e.g. publications, news articles, personal communication and media) on the animal welfare impacts of COVID-19
• details, including the URL, of the information sources
• the theme(s) of the information (e.g. legislative, educational, logistics, communication, species covered)
• the OIE reference region to which the material referred
• the time frame of the impact (short – less than two months; medium – two to six months; long term – longer than six months)
• whether there was a concurrent or cascading issue (e.g. another disease or weather event)
• a short description/narrative.

The survey was first piloted among the network members, and afterwards published online.

In addition to the online survey through the Qualtrics platform, the students from LMU searched a variety of sources, ranging from peer-reviewed articles to grey literature.

The LMU students collected all information received through the mapping done by the network, the Qualtrics platform and their own research, and brought it together, through narrative, by topic and by species, e.g. the abandonment of horses.

Results

At the end of the summer project on 6 August, input had been received on 118 countries representing all OIE regions. The majority of inputs came through research by the LMU students with over 1,200 entries recorded.

Most entries dealt with the impact on companion animals (335 entries); followed by the impact on wildlife and aquatic animals (281); laboratory animals (238); production and draft animals (170); zoo and exhibit animals (59); equine (47); and others (83). The group ‘others’ was used for entries providing material that was not specific to particular species (e.g. policy, economics).

The major issues identified were: animal welfare (17.9%, n = 309); laboratory animal use for the development of diagnostics/therapeutics (13.8%, n = 238); policy/economics (8.6%, n = 149); animals tested for COVID-19 (5.5%, n = 94); and poaching/wildlife trafficking (4.9%, n = 85).

Almost 25.8% of materials not only described the challenges resulting from COVID-19 but also proposed solutions. Around 34.8% of materials referenced humans or disease in humans.

Figure 2 represents all countries (n = 13) that had 20 or more inputs in the database. The remaining 105 OIE Members and non-OIE Members made up 29% of all inputs.

Figure 3 represents what the students considered to be the focus of the material. Only issues (n = 9) with 50 or more entries in the database were included. The remaining issues were grouped as ‘other’.

The students developed 64 COVID-19-focused narratives which were reviewed by the faculty for use by EmVetNet members. The narratives were grouped into thematic areas: equines (7); production and working animals (8); companion and shelter animals (13); laboratory animals (6); zoos and wildlife (14); public health (8); and policy and legislation (8). Examples of narratives from each group included:

• equines: abandoned horses, equine COVID-19 testing, equine business impacts
• production/working animals: depopulation due to slowdown of slaughtering, COVID-19 infection in mink, COVID-19 detector dogs, feed shortages, sheep shearer shortages
• companion and shelter animals: shelter influx of relinquished animals, China banning dog meat, shelter economics, the shortage of adoptable pets
• laboratory animals: use of non-human primates for testing, shortage of laboratory mice for research, small animal COVID-19 models
• zoos and wildlife: wildlife poaching, economic impacts on zoos, impacts of the decrease in trophy hunting, deforestation
• public health: the well-being of veterinary personnel, the impact of COVID-19 medical care on other diseases, veterinary laboratory support for sampling humans
• policy: wet-market and live-market slaughter bans, personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages and PPE litter.

All narratives were circulated among the network’s members for review and discussion.

The network is currently working on publishing its main findings and solutions to the wider public. This will be done through the EmVetNet website and possibly via an interactive visual database.

Discussion

Through their research, the authors found that COVID-19 has had or will have further impacts on the health and welfare of almost all animals, including companion animals, livestock, laboratory animals and wildlife, and that the impacts are global.

The World Economic Outlook (WEO) report of June 2020 for the International Monetary Fund projects global growth at −4.9% in 2020, 1.9 percentage points below the April 2020 WEO forecast [2]. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a more negative impact on activity in the first half of 2020 than anticipated, and the recovery is projected to be more gradual than previously forecast. The adverse impact on low-income households is particularly acute, imperilling the significant progress made in reducing extreme poverty in the world since the 1990s.

The World Bank in its August brief warned about a potential rise in food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic [3]. Accordingly, many countries and organisations are mounting special efforts to keep agriculture running safely as an essential business, ensuring that markets are well supplied within affordable and nutritious food, and that consumers are still able to access and purchase food despite movement restrictions and income losses.

Animals play an important role in our society. Not only do they constitute a significant part of our food chain, but they are also our loving companions, and often our co-workers. The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the welfare of animals of all kinds.

Livestock animals have experienced the effect that COVID-19 has had on the food production sector. The impact was two-pronged in lockdown: the meat trade was disrupted, while simultaneously people’s consumption habits changed [4]. With restaurants, schools and canteens closed, people sought more basic ingredients (flour and eggs) and preferred more cost-effective types of meat over expensive steak or fish. Locally sourced food and online shopping have become much more popular [5]. While the market can absorb some changes by using warehouse storage, this is not possible for any length of time or for every meat product. As a result, some farmers have not been able to sell their animals. Abattoirs and meat-packing plants became hot spots for COVID-19 [6]. This has been observed in many European countries and those on the American continent, as well as globally. Slaughter plants, some of which are vast operations, have had to close down at short notice. This has led to welfare problems due to overcrowding on farms. Animals have been re-routed to other abattoirs, had their diets changed to slow their growth or, in the worst-case scenario, have been culled [7].

Companion animals have also suffered the effects of COVID-19 [8]. In some countries people have abandoned their animals due to fear of the virus [9], even though there is currently no evidence that pets can spread COVID to humans [10]. Others have been relinquished because their owners had to move out of an infected area or be hospitalised. In other countries, the number of adoptions has increased, but it is not clear whether these new owners will be able to look after their new pet once they go back to work. It is strongly recommended that owners prepare their pets for when they have to return to work in order to prevent separation anxiety. At the height of the pandemic many countries stipulated that only urgent or emergency procedures absolutely necessary for the veterinary healthcare of companion animals could take place. Delays in routine care (e.g. vaccination, parasite prevention) has led to some serious health and welfare problems, as well as an overflow of work after the restrictions were lifted which, in turn, has created additional delays in the delivery of these services.

Finally, but maybe most worrisome, is the potential impact that the economic recession will have on the ability of owners to pay for healthcare and feed for their animals. This is of particular concern for animals that are more expensive to keep, such as horses, which have steep maintenance costs. This is even more pertinent in the light of the 2008/2009 economic recession which resulted in a large increase in horse euthanasia and abandonment [11].

In the field of laboratory animal medicine, many research institutions had to temporarily shut down their facilities and find ways to continue to care for the animals on site. At the same time, the direction of biomedical research shifted to support the response to COVID-19 and there was an enormous increase in demand for transgenic mice and ferrets for use in research directed towards vaccines and treatments [12].

As a last point of interest, zoos have had a particularly hard time [13]. Most zoos rely on visitors for income, while feeding and maintenance costs are very high. Conservation work is suffering. Some zoos did not survive, and solutions had to be found for their animals. Others are still struggling.

These are just a few examples of how animals are collateral victims of COVID-19, but many more exist. The good news is that veterinarians can mitigate these effects and, as a profession, we have the potential to be at the forefront of doing so.

Challenges such as COVID-19 seldom present themselves in isolation. In several countries, the effect of COVID-19 was amplified through other diseases or disasters, such as the explosion in Beirut, African swine fever in Europe and wildfires in the western USA.

The veterinary profession has the potential to prevent or alleviate the impact on animal welfare caused by COVID-19: this thematic network provides the tools and resources to do so

Veterinary Services, as defined by the OIE [14], include all official and private veterinarians, who provide important animal and public health disease surveillance to prevent infectious outbreaks, including zoonotic diseases. They ensure food security so that people have safe food to eat by ensuring only healthy animals and their products can enter the food chain. Veterinarians provide ongoing medical care and oversight as well as surgical and emergency services to ill and injured animals. Veterinary Services also include the national and regional veterinary regulatory and inspection services that oversee the integrity of public health. They supervise veterinary services provided in animal hospitals, mobile clinics, ambulatory services, zoos, etc. In addition, they oversee the care of laboratory animals, which are critical to research medicines and vaccines, including vaccine research against viruses such as COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a zoonotic infection. It is most likely the result of a leap from bats that act as a reservoir to an intermediate host (the best candidate is the pangolin [15]), and from there to humans (spill-over), in a similar transmission mechanism to those of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronaviruses [16]. Although the disease has a largely human impact, collaborative efforts have recognised and acknowledged the connection between animal and human health, an interrelationship inherent in the One Health concept. Veterinary laboratories supported COVID-19 testing for humans, veterinarians volunteered in hospitals and veterinary practices provided equipment such as ventilators. In a novel example of humans and animals working side by side, sniffer dogs are trained to detect COVID-19 in patients [17]. Dogs are now being used to sniff passengers at Helsinki–Vantaa airport in Finland [18]. Solutions for dealing with the consequences of both the virus and our response to it have again brought to light the importance of One Health. Recognising and documenting these One Health impacts during the pandemic has facilitated robust discussions and a more holistic approach among those participating in the response.

The whole veterinary profession (including veterinary officials, private practitioners, and those working in research, academia and industry), by working together and sharing experiences, solutions and best practices, can alleviate the impact of this pandemic on animals. Additionally, and even more importantly, critical intervention points can be identified, and lessons learned which can improve our response to future emergencies or pandemics.

It is expected that this pandemic will not be the last. The zoonotic impact of COVID-19 has been relatively minor; this could well be different for future viruses. Any pandemic will have negative impacts on people, animals and our planet, but we can prepare for them and influence their effect. Challenging times provide an ideal opportunity to question accepted norms and practices, as they bring to light the weaknesses in our existing approach to animal care and management. Rapid answers are needed, and the solution may well be found outside the usual scope.

Conclusion

EmVetNet has demonstrated the value of the rapid development and deployment of technology. There would be great worth in strengthening and expanding this network. EmVetNet has shown that there is a need for single source information on animals, and on animal welfare during disasters. Working in partnership with educational institutes has also increased student interest in non-clinical careers including public health, One Health, public policy, and global health. Truly, the work of the network has shown the value of collaboration and highlighted the need for reflection on what can be learned during a disaster and when reporting on its aftermath.

References

1. World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe (2020). – Mental health and COVID-19 [accessed on 24 September 2020]. www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/technical-guidance/mental-health-and-covid-19.
2. International Monetary Fund (IMF) (2020). – World Economic Outlook Update, June 2020: a crisis like no other, an uncertain recovery [accessed on 24 September 2020]. www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2020/06/24/WEOUpdateJune2020.
3. The World Bank (2020). – Food security and COVID-19 [accessed on 24 September 2020]. www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-and-covid-19.
4. Marchant-Forde J.N. & Boyle L.A. (2020). – COVID-19 effects on livestock production: a One Welfare issue. Front. Vet. Sci., 7, 734. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.585787.
5. Felix I., Martin A., Mehta V. & Mueller C. (2020). – US food supply chain: Disruptions and implications from COVID-19 [accessed on 25 September 2020]. www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/us-food-supply-chain-disruptions-and-implications-from-covid-19#.
6. Politico (2020). – Germany reckons with second wave risk [accessed on 24 September 2020]. www.politico.eu/article/germany-coronavirus-second-wave-risk-gutersloh/.
7. Polansek T. & Huffstutter P.J. (2020). – Piglets aborted, chickens gassed as pandemic slams meat sector. Reuters. 28 April 2020 [accessed on 25 September 2020]. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-livestock-insight-idUKKCN2292YS.
8. Parry N.M.A. (2020). – COVID-19 and pets: when pandemic meets panic. Forensic Sci. Int. Reports, 2, 100090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2020.100090.
9. Kim A. (2020). – Cats and dogs abandoned at the start of the coronavirus outbreak are now starving or being killed. CNN [accessed on 25 September 2020]. www.cnn.com/2020/03/15/asia/coronavirus-animals-pets-trnd/index.html.
10. World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). – Questions and answers on COVID-19 [accessed on 25 September 2020]. www.oie.int/scientific-expertise/specific-information-and-recommendations/questions-and-answers-on-2019novel-coronavirus/.
11. Owers R. (2017). – Unwanted horses – an NGO perspective [accessed on 25 September 2020]. https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/animals/docs/aw_platform_20171110_pres_05.pdf.
12. Callaway E. (2020). – Labs rush to study coronavirus in transgenic animals — some are in short supply. Nature, 579 (7798), 183–183 [accessed on 25 September 2020]. www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00698-x.
13. European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) (2020). – Reducing negative implications of COVID-19-related economic challenges for Members on population management in EAZA [accessed on 25 September 2020]. www.eaza.net/assets/Uploads/Mailing-uploads/2020/2020-05-EAZA-zoos-corona-consequences-animal-pops-final.pdf.
14. World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (2019). – Glossary. In Terrestrial Animal Health Code. www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahc/current/glossaire.pdf.
15. Lee J., Hughes T., Lee M.H., Field H., Rovie-Ryan J.J., Sitam F.T., Sipangkui S., Nathan S.K.S.S., Ramirez D., Kumar S.V., Lasimbang H., Epstein J.H. & Daszak P. (2020). – No evidence of coronaviruses or other potentially zoonotic viruses in Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) entering the wildlife trade via Malaysia. bioRxiv 2020.06.19.158717. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.19.158717.
16. Ferri M. (2020). – Covid-19 and One Health. Covid-19 crisis management from a One Health perspective: can we do better? [accessed on 2 October 2020]. www.linkedin.com/pulse/covid-19-one-health-maurizio-ferri.
17. Jendrny P., Schulz C., Twele F., Meller S., von Köckritz-Blickwede M., Osterhaus A.D.M.E., Ebbers J., Pilchová V., Pink I., Welte T., Manns M.P., Fathi A., Ernst C., Addo M.M., Schalke E. & Volk H.A. (2020). – Scent dog identification of samples from COVID-19 patients – a pilot study. BMC Infect. Dis., 23 July 2020; 20 (1), 536. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-020-05281-3.
18. BBC News (2020). – Coronavirus: Helsinki airport trials sniffer dogs as Covid-19 detectors. BBC News, 24 September 2020 [accessed on 2 October 2020]. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54288067.

The OIE was honoured to participate as an observer of the G20 Agriculture and Water Ministers meetings throughout 2020, contributing to increasing the commitment to strengthening the resilience and sustainability of food security and food systems that was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. We amplify the call of the ministers to implement the One Health approach to reinforce monitoring, preparedness, response, and control of global public health risks.

As part of the Tripartite Alliance, the OIE is dedicated to pursuing its collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization to enhance country capacity to respond to challenges at the human–animal–environment interface. Consequently, the OIE will continue to provide science based OIE International Standards to ensure animal health and welfare in sustainable animal production and trade, the prudent use of antimicrobials, and preparedness and transparency for domestic and wild animal disease outbreaks.

Read the full Communiqué of the G20 Agriculture and Water Ministers here.

After nearly a year, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives and societies in an unprecedent manner. As we approach the end of 2020, one lesson from the response to the pandemic certainly stands out: collaboration across sectors is key to tackling shared sanitary challenges. The disease has significantly challenged our global health systems, food supply chains and economies, and furthermore has demonstrated that a longstanding and sustainable One Health collaboration is necessary.

To support countries in building multisectoral mechanisms to jointly assess the risks at the human–animal–environment interface, a new operational tool is available to complement the existing Tripartite Guide to Addressing Zoonotic Diseases in Countries.

The new Joint Risk Assessment Operational Tool (JRA OT) has been developed by the Tripartite organisations (FAO, OIE and WHO) and technical experts to provide guidance on how to set up a joint risk assessment process at the national level. While it describes step by step how to conduct each component of the process, it also provides model documents and templates to support its implementation by staff from national ministries responsible for the management of zoonotic diseases.

What are the benefits for countries?

• Bringing together a wealth of expertise and information from all relevant sectors to jointly assess risks from zoonotic diseases contributes to the understanding and management of shared threats at the human–animal–environment interface.
• The information provided by a joint risk assessment makes it possible to implement relevant actions according to evaluations of event likelihood and impact.
• Thanks to the recommendations on risk monitoring, management and communication resulting from a joint risk assessment, decision-makers can implement science-based measures and align communication messages between sectors.

As underlined by COVID-19, the impact of emerging diseases goes far beyond the public and animal health sectors: nearly all sectors are adversely affected. Therefore, multiple sectors and disciplines must work together in response to these sanitary challenges. This applies to both risk assessments, as well as to other aspects of national health systems.

On the eve of a new year, let’s seize this opportunity to improve our collaborative response to zoonotic diseases, as well as to other risks at the human–animal–environment interface.

Want to know more about the Tripartite Zoonoses Guide?

OIE web portal on One Health

Authors

Miftahul I. Barbaruah ⁽¹⁾* & Sonia Fèvre ⁽²⁾

(1) Vet Helpline India Pvt Ltd., Assam, India.
(2) Capacity Building Department, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

The designations and denominations employed and the presentation of the material in this article do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the OIE concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.
The views expressed in this article are solely the responsibility of the author(s). The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by the OIE in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

As the OIE embarks on new initiatives regarding veterinary workforce development, it is timely to consider the role and relevance of international frameworks for standardising and comparing skills attainment, educational qualifications and occupations with reference to the veterinary domain. These frameworks help build consistency across countries, standards for certification, and can contribute to improved mobility for students and professionals.

Skill qualification frameworks

A growing trend in workforce planning is to ensure that job descriptions are based on skills and competencies, and that educational programmes ensure that their learning outcomes correspond to relevant job requirements. The alignment of educational qualifications to an internationally comparable framework can help lead to equitable recognition across a country, the harmonisation of certification schemes, and can facilitate lifelong learning and the mobility of those with such qualifications. More than 100 countries have or are in the process of developing national qualification frameworks, and numerous regional frameworks already exist, such as the European Qualifications Framework [1], ASEAN Qualification Reference Framework [2], and the Southern African Development Community Qualifications Framework [3]. National Occupational Standards (NOS), which describe the knowledge, skills and understanding an individual needs to be competent at a job, are already guiding training aimed at industry professionals in various countries. Industry-led certifying bodies that use skill qualification frameworks in the veterinary domain include LANTRA, an awarding body for land-based industries in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland [4]; Rural Skills Australia [5]; and the Agriculture Skill Council of India [6]. Skill qualification frameworks (SQFs) organise qualifications according to levels of knowledge, skills and aptitudes [7, 8], which the learner must possess regardless of whether they were acquired through formal, non-formal or informal learning (Table I).

International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)

The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011) [9] is a comprehensive framework for comparing education systems across countries. Veterinary education comes under ISCED Level 7 (Master’s or equivalent, see Section 9B.247 of the ISCED 2011 document published by UNESCO’s Institute of Statistics). The level accorded to education related to veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs) is not currently specified. However, a review of the ISCED classification of Fields of Education is leading to a more expanded classification of Fields of Education and Training [10] to ensure that vocational training is appropriately represented. Within the ‘Fields of Education’ classification, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Assisting fall under Group 6 (Code 64, see annex IV to the abovementioned document).

Occupations

The International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO), developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) of the United Nations, is a tool for organising jobs into clearly defined groups according to the tasks and duties undertaken. Countries use the ISCO system for classifying and aggregating occupational data. Various statistical applications use ISCO codes for matching jobseekers with job vacancies, the management of short- or long-term migration of workers between countries, and the development of vocational training programmes and guidance. The occupational categories within the veterinary domain vary widely from country to country and standardising these categories as per the ISCO would allow for a better comparison of the occupations worldwide and help develop targeted vocational training programmes for them.

The corresponding ISCO-2008 codes for veterinary-related occupations are 2250 (for veterinarian), 3240 (for veterinary technicians and assistants), and 5164 (for pet groomers and animal care workers) (Fig. 1).

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) mapped human health workers to the ISCO. The WHO classification uses a hierarchical structure of occupational titles and ISCO codes, reflecting subgroups of the health workforce according to different skill levels and specialisations. The classification consists of health professionals, health associate professionals, personal care workers in health services, health management, and support personnel, and other health service providers not elsewhere classified [11].

Learning opportunities

Building on its work to date on veterinarian and VPP competencies and curricula, in 2021 the OIE will initiate a mechanism to build workforce assessment and development into the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway. This will respond to gaps and opportunities for countries to identify and address current and future workforce needs in the veterinary services, both public and private, and address service gaps such as are common in rural areas or in particular specialisations.

Being informed by trends and expertise in other sectors, including the standardisation frameworks discussed above, may help stakeholders in the veterinary field to tackle the long-term challenges that the veterinary sector faces in attracting and keeping young talent, building gender equity, and ensuring that professional development opportunities adapt to new technologies and evolving skills needs. In parallel, the OIE’s remit continues to involve helping to guide Members towards understanding and adopting the standards of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and Aquatic Animal Health Code, in particular through guidance provided by the PVS Pathway services, such as PVS Evaluation missions, among others.

As the workforce development initiative progresses, it may be useful for the OIE to engage with other global initiatives related to workforce and educational planning and standardisation. The 20th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (10–19 October 2018) [12] endorsed a full revision of ISCO, to enable implementation in time for the 2030 global round of censuses coinciding with the end of the Sustainable Development Goals implementation period. The objective of the revision is also to widen the scope and international relevance of ISCO. Particular topics of note for discussion between the ILO and the OIE might include a) aligning occupational standards for the veterinary professions with the Terrestrial Code; b) including the roles of veterinarian, veterinary paraprofessional as well as community-based animal health worker; and c) further representing the needs of veterinary medicine aimed at the public good. The OIE welcomes stakeholder engagement from a range of actors as it embarks on its workforce development initiative.

References

1. The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) | Europass. Available at: https://europa.eu/europass/en/european-qualifications-framework-eqf (accessed on 30 August 2020).
2. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (nd). – ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework. Available at: https://asean.org/asean-economic-community/sectoral-bodies-under-the-purview-of-aem/services/asean-qualifications-reference-framework/ (accessed on 30 August 2020).
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New projects have joined the Laboratory Twinning Programme while others have come to their completion. Learn what’s new in the twinning world!

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Laboratory Twinning Programme was created in 2006 to promote an even global distribution of laboratory expertise in the domaine of animal health. The Programme supports the OIE’s strategy to improve global capacity for disease prevention, detection and control, through capacity building and networking. To date, 65 projects have been completed and 29 are under way.

Although Laboratory Twinning projects have suffered the consequences of travel restrictions, many participating institutes did not let 2020 impede their work plans. Twinning participants found creative ways to stay in contact during the pandemic and the Programme has remained dynamic, with three projects completed at the end of 2020, and seven projects starting in 2021.

Projects completed at the end of 2020

Italy and Nigeria for avian influenza

The Istituto Zooprofilatico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe) and the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Vom implemented this project between 2017 and 2020. This twinning was supported by the Government of Canada. The project was focused on improving the technical capacity of the NVRI so that it could become a reliable avian influenza diagnostic hotspot in the West African region. Thanks to capacity-building activities, not only was the ability to identify avian influenza (AI) viruses greatly improved, but advanced tools for the surveillance and control of the disease were also integrated into the outbreak investigation flowchart at the NVRI, i.e. genetic epidemiology and geographic information systems (GIS). NVRI staff involved in this project not only applied the new tools for use in the investigation of outbreaks in Nigeria but were also able to successfully interpret and present the results generated in four papers published in peer-reviewed international journals.

Canada and Peru for rabies and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

This twinning project, whose partners were the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Ottawa (Fallowfield) Laboratory and the Unidad del Centro de Diagnóstico de Sanidad Animal (UCDSA-SENASA) in Lima, was implemented between 2016 and 2019 and also financed by the Government of Canada. The goals of this project were achieved, resulting in UCDSA-SENASA adding several new tests to their diagnostic roster, updating and improving existing tests, and eliminating some tests that were no longer OIE-recommended. Although ISO accreditation has not yet been achieved, UCDSA-SENASA is well-placed to meet all the requirements and submit its application within a year. The networking established during the project places UCDSA-SENASA in good stead to maintain the expertise developed and to share it with countries within the region.

United Kingdom and Afghanistan for brucellosis and mycoplasmosis

The project between the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Central Veterinary Diagnostic and Research Laboratory (CVDRL) in Kabul was one of the first ever implemented under the OIE Twinning Programme, and was financed through a grant from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the United Kingdom. It started in 2012 and received two no-cost extensions due to security and sanction-related constraints, which delayed the implementation of the activities. The partners used creative approaches, such as conducting training in Turkey, to circumvent travel restrictions imposed on Afghan scientists. Finally, eight years later, CVDRL has consolidated the skills acquired during the twinning by continuing to implement testing procedures, while exploring the situation concerning brucellosis and mycoplasmosis in Afghanistan. CVDRL staff have participated in a large number of external proficiency testing schemes showing good performance in brucellosis serology, slide testing, and PCR and Mycoplasma serology, while indicating areas for further development around molecular testing and Mycoplasma culture. Further informal sample exchange with APHA showed that all isolates submitted had been correctly identified as Brucella and to the species level by molecular testing.

Projects starting in 2021

1. France (Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement) and Senegal (Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles – Laboratoire National d’Élevage et de Recherches Vétérinaires) for peste des petits ruminants (PPR)
2. France (Institut Pasteur) and Benin (Laboratoire de Diagnostic Vétérinaire et de Sérosurveillance de Parakou) for viral haemorrhagic fevers, with a focus on Lassa fever
3. France (Institut Pasteur) and Mauritania (Office National de Recherches et de Développement de l’Élevage) for viral haemorrhagic fevers, with focus on Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever and Rift Valley fever
4. South Africa (Agricultural Research Council – Onderstepoort Veterinary Research) and Ethiopia (NAHDIC) for rabies
5. UK (Pirbright Institute) and the Philippines (Bureau of Animal Industry, Veterinary Laboratory Division, Animal Disease Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory) for African swine fever
6. UK (APHA) and Sierra Leone (Central Veterinary Laboratory) for rabies
7. USA (University of Arizona) and Colombia (Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario – Laboratorio Nacional de Diagnóstico Veterinario) for aquatic animal diseases.

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Contact: Mariana Marrana, OIE Preparedness & Resilience Department.

The Directors General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Executive Director of UN Environment (UNEP) opened the first meeting of the One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) on 26–27 January 2021.

Chaired by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, the 22 members of the Global Leaders Group convened for the first time in a two-day virtual meeting. Launched during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020, the meeting continued the momentum from the launch to dive into the responsibilities of the group.

The inaugural first meeting of the One Health Global Leaders Group on AMR welcomed members to their important role as part of the group and highlighted the multi-sector strengths of the members. The group aims to be a strong advocate for the One Health approach to tackling the global issue of antimicrobial resistance and meet our global objective to use antimicrobials responsibly and prudently in all sectors. Additionally, the group underscored the task of ensuring equitable and sustainable funding to further collaboration, research and surveillance.

As an important outcome of the first meeting of the One Health Global Leaders Group on AMR, the members have committed to the development of a unique action plan for the group. The action plan will aim to maintaining visibility of AMR on the global agenda, advocating for scaled-up action and investment in the Tripartite, UN Environment and international and regional entities, monitor the global AMR response to ensure accountability, advocate for equitable and multi-sector engagement, and ensure the One Health inclusion of AMR in financing and investment instruments.

Final report of the inaugural online meeting of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance
26–27 January 2021

The One Health Global Leaders Group on AMR is strategically placed to reinforce the recommendations of the Interagency Coordination Group on AMR to realise the One Health approach in all sectors. The forward vision of the group is to be a catalyst to the global AMR response. Setting the example for urgent global, regional and national entities to motivate practical action and change, in addressing the complex challenges AMR presents, identifying the need to intensify the political and general public to tackle AMR emergence across all sectors. Through these efforts, the group is expected to become paramount in the global efforts to respond to antimicrobial resistance and ensure it is not able to cause more health challenges.

On 19 January 2021, the OIE and the University of Liverpool (UoL) organised a joint webinar to officially announce the launch of the multi-year, multi-partner Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) programme. The event introduced GBADs’ work and vision through interventions from the GBADs Programme Director, Professor Jonathan Rushton; the UoL’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Janet Beer; and OIE Director General, Dr Monique Éloit. This open webinar – with over 300 participants – aimed to engage a wider community of stakeholders by communicating on the importance, urgency and relevance of GBADs.

A press release was published following the event and a recording of the webinar is available.

A tool to achieve evidence-based animal health decision-making

Building on more than 30 years’ experience in the economics of animal health, Professor Rushton, along with various animal health experts and researchers, has been spearheading discussions around the need to apply a socio-economic and environmental lens when analysing the impact of animal diseases on livestock production, livelihoods, nutrition and human well-being. The challenges posed by the emergence or re-emergence of diseases affecting animal and human welfare can only be addressed by adopting a systematic approach and ensuring adequate resource allocation to the Veterinary Services that sustain the animal health system. GBADs will act in complementarity with other OIE datasets and workstreams, such as the OIE Training Platform, PVS Pathway and OIE Observatory, with the aim of becoming an essential piece of a bigger digital transformation and service offering to OIE Members. It will recognise standards, countries and diseases as core referential data, linking to the economic data collected by GBADs. The GBADs programme is a global endeavour, made possible through strong partnership and inspired by a willingness to use cutting-edge research to inform public policy-making and improve the lives of millions by contributing to a world in which the Sustainable Development Goals of Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Responsible Consumption and Production have been achieved.

Continuous advocacy for GBADs

In 2018, the signing of a formal letter of intent between the UoL and the OIE enabled the launch of a partnership that led to the operationalisation of GBADs. Thanks to the generous support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, GBADs partners – the UoL, the OIE and eight additional academic and institutional partners actively committed to GBADs since its onset – managed to secure US$ 7 million to commence the pilot phase spanning from August 2020 to December 2022. Further sources of support were received recently, including from the European Union, the Brooke Foundation and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. GBADs partners will continue to seek funding to widen GBADs’ reach in other regions and sectors, enhance interdisciplinary scientific capacity, expand its network of collaborators, and gain larger buy-in and commitment for the use of its methodology by 2030.

If you are interested in the work of GBADs and would like to apply to be a collaborator, sign up here.

The 15th Meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC) of the OIE World Animal Health and Welfare Fund (OIE World Fund) took place in a virtual format on 15 December 2020 with more than 30 of the OIE’s main resource partners attending. The three-hour session aimed to provide a financial retrospective of 2020, give an overview of programmatic achievements under the OIE’s 6th Strategic Plan and generate discussions on finding innovative ways to leverage funding to reach mutual objectives under the 7th Strategic Plan (2021–2025). Finally, this meeting was also the occasion to elect a new Chair of the Committee for a five-year term.

Closing a challenging year… and looking ahead to the future

Following opening remarks by the Chair, Dr Martine Dubuc, and OIE Director General, Dr Monique Éloit, the floor was given to the Engagement and Investment Department (E&ID) to present the World Fund’s 2020 financial performance, taking stock of the impact of COVID-19 on spending, while highlighting the actions taken by the organisation to adapt to the difficult context. Deputy Director General for International Standards and Science, Dr Matthew Stone, gave a comprehensive update on the OIE’s programmes, key initiatives and global strategies and frameworks, as well as on engagement in new projects such as the OIE Observatory, wildlife health management framework and the Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs). He closed by stating that even when faced with challenging circumstances, the OIE had managed to continue to deliver on its activities as well as on the objectives of the 6th Strategic Plan.

Dr Éloit proceeded by underscoring that, notwithstanding the disruptive nature of COVID and consequent challenges for Veterinary Services around the globe, the pandemic created fertile opportunities for innovation and transformation. The OIE will work to seize the latter by delivering on future ambitions defined in its upcoming 7th Strategic Plan, to be adopted in the May 2021 General Session. Head of the E&ID, Ms Emily Tagliaro, presented on an issue-based, outward-looking investment opportunity to be brought forward to the Membership in early 2021, exploring new avenues for increased engagement of the OIE in areas deemed as strategic for its partners and its mandate.

New Chairperson and strengthening partnerships

The closing session marked the conclusion of Dr Dubuc’s five-year term as Chair of the Committee. Dr Éloit thanked Dr Dubuc for her service and introduced the candidature of Dr Hans Wyss, the Delegate of Switzerland to the OIE, who had previously raised his interest in the position. With no objection from other participants, Dr Éloit confirmed his election for the 2021–2025 period.

The OIE expressed its gratitude to its partners for their continued generous contributions and for the purposeful advice given to assist the OIE in responding to its Members’ needs, while identifying new areas of interest to address changing needs and priorities. The OIE remains committed to further developing and strengthening partnerships to promote animal health and welfare around the world.