AVMA Celebrates Unity Among Health Professions
On World Veterinary Day SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — "World Veterinary Day on April 28, 2007, will be a day to emphasize the need for global unity among all health care professionals including veterinarians," said Dr. Leon Russell, president of the World Veterinary Association.
Veterinarians around the world will recognize and promote veterinary medicine's many contributions to human and animal health including research on avian influenza and West Nile Virus, surveillance that ensures food safety and discoveries that lead to major advancements in human health care such as cancer treatments.
"People know and understand that we care for pets and food animals, but we need to show the world how diverse we are as a profession," Dr. Russell explained. "Veterinarians do so much more."
Dr. Russell is encouraging practitioners to host an open house, visit school programs, and make time to showcase how veterinarians touch our lives each and every day.
"It is our opportunity to educate the global society about how veterinarians care for every aspect of the animal kingdom," Dr. Russell said.
"Not everyone knows that members of our profession are in Asia combating avian influenza and working to help make sure as it does not become a pandemic. Veterinary researchers around the world are investigating clues to unlocking the secret to various diseases in human and animal health and right here at home, veterinarians are protecting our country from bio and agro-terrorism," Dr. Russell added.
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) President Roger K. Mahr, DVM, said that World Veterinary Day provides a great platform to talk about the "one world, one health, one medicine" initiative, because so much more can be accomplished through increased unity among all health care providers and organizations.
"When you consider the fact that in the last year at least 21 billion animals were produced for food and fiber throughout the world, and that in the United States 38,000 animals cross the U.S. border every day, and 75 percent of all emerging diseases in the last 20 years are zoonotic, meaning they infect animals and humans, these facts indicate that animal health is truly at a crossroad," Dr. Mahr explains. "The convergence of animal health, human health, and ecosystem health dictates that a one world, one health, one medicine concept be embraced."
The "one world" initiative calls for all health sciences professionals, the health sciences colleges and schools—including veterinary schools and human medical colleges—health sciences associations, government agencies and related industries to coordinate efforts on a global basis to combat disease and promote health.
The relationship between human health, animal health and the ecosystem has always existed and should be respected. Animal research has been used to develop cancer drugs and treatments that are saving thousands of people from disease every year and many medical breakthroughs in human medicine have translated to similar treatments for animals.
For more information about World Veterinary Day and the "one world, one health, one medicine" initiative, visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org.
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The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 75,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. AVMA members are dedicated to advancing the science and art of veterinary medicine including its relationship to public health and agriculture. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org to learn more about veterinary medicine and animal care and to access up-to-date information on the association's issues, policies and activities.
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