WOAH warns of global risk from underfunded veterinary systems

• Avian influenza: More than 2000 outbreaks across 64 countries between 2025–2026, leading to the loss of 140 million poultry.
• African swine fever: Continued spread, including long-distance transmission events.
• Foot and mouth disease: Unprecedented outbreaks in Southern Africa and re-emergence in Europe.
• New World screwworm: Tens of thousands of cases in Central America, with northward spread threatening new regions.

With 75% of emerging human infectious diseases originating in animals, veterinary systems are the first line of defense against future pandemics.

Costs of prevention vs inaction

WOAH estimates that bringing veterinary services worldwide up to international standards would cost USD 2.3 billion annually. This figure is less than 0.05% of the USD 3.6 trillion in losses from Covid-19. Yet, 18% of countries show declining veterinary capacity, and 22% report weakening paraprofessional capacity, raising concerns about surveillance and emergency response.

Call for stronger investment

WOAH leaders stress that animal health systems are a global public good. They urge governments, development partners, and financial institutions to:

• Increase funding for veterinary services.
• Integrate animal health into broader health, economic, and security strategies.
• Prioritize prevention over crisis response.
• Recognize animal health as a high-impact investment for resilience.

Recent WOAH assessments show that countries need an average 52% budget increase to meet effective veterinary service costs. Encouragingly, more than half of nations engaged in WOAH’s Performance Veterinary Services Pathway reported increased financial resources after tailored assessments.