Helping to tackle the spread of zoonotic disease: The VETLAB Network

The virus responsible for COVID-19, originating in animals, emerged in humans in late 2019 and upended the world as we know it. While it is the first disease in over a century to cause daily lives and economies worldwide to grind to a halt, it is not the first disease to cross from animals to people. More than 60 per cent of diseases now affecting humans started in animals — and with improved surveillance and animal disease control, they could be stopped in their tracks. This is what underlines the importance of global initiatives like the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VETLAB) Network, through which veterinary labs exchange information, share best practices and support each other. The VETLAB Network is maintained by the IAEA, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and is funded through the Peaceful Uses Initiative and the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund.