The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
The OIE is an international organisation with 181 Member Countries, which have given it a mandate to improve animal health and welfare throughout the world.
For more than 90 years, the OIE has worked to achieve the transparency of the global animal health situation, including diseases transmissible to humans, to update and publish disease prevention and control methods, to ensure the sanitary safety of world trade in animals and their products and to strengthen national animal health systems.
These actions have been solidified through the adoption of international standards by the Delegates of the OIE Member Countries, which are recognised as reference by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The OIE bases its activities on four pillars:
Improving animal health and welfare as well as veterinary public health worldwide
The OIE’s international standards on animal health and welfare are prepared and updated by recognised scientific experts and are adopted at annual General Sessions of the World Assembly of OIE Delegates.
Recognised as reference by the World Trade Organization (WTO), these standards are designed to prevent and control animal diseases, including zoonoses, ensure the sanitary safety of world trade in terrestrial and aquatic animals and animal products, and improve animal welfare.
Sharing, in real time, accurate information on the global animal health situation
Nowadays, through the effects of globalisation, infectious diseases can often spread at lightning speed. 60% of the pathogens that affect humans are of animal origin. Effective surveillance, enabling early detection of these diseases at their animal source, is therefore crucial so that they can be quickly controlled, thereby protecting animal and human populations.
Since its creation, one of the OIE’s historic missions has been to ensure transparency and improve knowledge of the global animal disease situation, including zoonoses. This mission is fulfilled on a daily basis thanks to a unique tool, the OIE World Animal Health Information System, WAHIS.
Collecting, analysing and disseminating veterinary scientific information
The OIE collects and analyses the latest scientific information on prevention and control of animal diseases. This information is then made available to Member Countries so that they can apply the most effective methods.
The work of the OIE is supported by a worldwide network of expertise that has expanded and consolidated over the years. The permanent exchange of information and the constant strengthening of the scientific and technical competencies of the members of this network all help to ensure the scientific excellence of the OIE worldwide.
Developing international solidarity to control animal diseases more effectively
The OIE supports its Member Countries and helps them strengthen and improve the structure of their national animal health systems in line with the Organisation’s international standards, notably by acting on the quality of the national Veterinary Services, diagnostic laboratories and veterinary education.
To help developing and emerging countries deal effectively with health threats, the OIE provides support through a range of programmes, notably within the framework of the PVS (Performance of Veterinary Services) Pathway, aimed at consolidating national animal health systems by providing customised assistance. These programmes are partly financed from contributions received by the OIE Animal and Welfare World Fund.
More information: www.oie.int
Discover the OIE latest annual report:
The IVSA is organizing the Animal Welfarce Conference in collaboration with the OIE and other organisations, in April 2016. For more information, see: http://animalwelfareconfe.wix.com/iawc