European Doctors and Veterinarians reaffirm their partnership on One Health
To enhance further cooperation on the One Health approach in Europe, the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding.
The signed memorandum emphasises that European doctors and veterinarians strive to continue to lead the way in preventing zoonoses, containing antimicrobial resistance and providing healthcare for humans and animals by recognising the interdependence of the two sectors and the implementation of science-based approaches. FVE and CPME agreed to work together on several actions ranging from assisting policy makers and awareness raising to improving uptake of prudent prescription practices and promoting research and development of new tools for use in both human and animals.
CPME and FVE reiterated their commitment to the One Health approach in their missions at a meeting hosted by the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands on 1 September.
Both organisations have already been working extensively together. Since 2013, we have jointly highlighted best practices such as prevention to combat human diseases and antibiotic resistance, as well as, to promote One Health culture in education and healthcare practice. Going forward, CPME and FVE will aim to expand interdisciplinary collaboration in all aspects of healthcare for humans, animals and the environment.
FVE President, Rens van Dobbenburgh, underlined the importance of veterinary care for public health and human wellbeing. “By ensuring animal health, veterinarians contribute to safe food for people, prevention from zoonoses, sustainability of the environment, economic growth, to only mention some of the aspects of veterinary profession’s impact to the society. Veterinarians contribute to One Health every day and reiterate their strong engagement to continue to do so along with our counterparts - the medical profession”.
CPME President, Dr Christiaan Keijzer, highlighted the importance of interprofessional collaboration. “With the recent emergence of Covid-19, the importance of One Health has never been clearer. Faced with increasing cross-border threats such as spread of infectious zoonotic diseases and growing resistance to antibiotics, interprofessional collaboration between doctors and veterinarians is essential in order to adequately respond to these global challenges.”
One Health is defined as an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems. The approach offers opportunities for better planning, preparedness and crisis management by sharing knowledge and expertise and enhancing interprofessional collaboration.