The 2020 annual stakeholder meeting marked the formal launch of the United Against Rabies Forum as well as bringing together speakers from all over the world. We were honoured that the Directors-General of FAO, WOAH and WHO all spoke at the event, jointly announcing the creation of the Forum and reiterating the global commitment to end human rabies deaths by 2030.
View highlights of the meeting on our Youtube Channel or below
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said:
“We can only eliminate rabies in people if we do a better job of controlling it in dogs, and if we radically improve access to treatment and care – especially among the poor and marginalized groups who suffer the most from this horrible disease.”
FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu said:
“We have an opportunity now to strengthen One Health collaboration and regional cooperation, particularly to improve animal health systems and surveillance. Collaborating on rabies is an excellent way to put those ideas into practice.”
WOAH Director-General, Dr Monique Eloit stressed the need for collaborative efforts against rabies:
“This is a disease we know how to beat, but there is no single solution. We have to work together, across human and animal health sectors and with affected communities. If we do, elimination is possible, and in the process, we will also be building stronger systems for the detection and control of other diseases.”