Veterinary Public Health Planners

The world now faces a myriad of public health threats originating from human, animal, and environmental sources. In our increasingly interconnected and mobile world, infectious diseases are emerging and spreading at an unprecedented rate. The estimated 2 billion airline passengers per year assist in the rapid spread of diseases around the world. Although the SARS virus was ultimately contained within 4 months, the human and economic toll in Asian countries included over 10,000 people infected and $60 billion of gross expenditure and business losses. The trend for large scale disasters is accelerating with more than half of the planet's 20 costliest catastrophes since 1970 having occurred since 2001. Because of the world's quickly growing population and its increasing social and economic interdependency, these disasters will continue to increase.

The veterinarian is an important player in public health, is well trained in the response to an emergency and has become very proficient. However, veterinarians have not been so successful in identifying what they need and justifying them in the emergency management arena. Veterinarians are not trained in how to manage a readiness program.

This session discusses the need for veterinary public health planners, what they do, and how they can help justify your readiness programs. Documentation and justification is so very important especially during times of shrinking budgets. (Invited session - Dr Marvin Meinders presenter)