KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Malaysia and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have reaffirmed efforts to strengthen coordination on animal health, public health, wildlife, aquatic animal health, and environmental issues under the One Health approach amid growing concerns over zoonotic and transboundary animal diseases.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) said discussions with WOAH focused on strengthening coordination across sectors, including closer collaboration among the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF), and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) in managing disease risks involving livestock, wildlife, aquatic animals, and humans.
The discussions took place during a courtesy visit by WOAH Director General Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Putrajaya yesterday, where she met Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Chan Foong Hin.
“This courtesy visit reflects WOAH’s recognition of Malaysia’s commitment to developing a more integrated, resilient and future-ready animal health system,” KPKM said in a statement today.
“It also reinforces the shared commitment between Malaysia and WOAH to enhance preparedness in addressing animal health and zoonotic disease challenges.”
Malaysia also shared updates on several key national initiatives, including implementation of the National Bridging Workshop (NBW) Roadmap, the Malaysia Rabies Eradication Strategy, and efforts to strengthen national preparedness against transboundary animal diseases and the increasing threat of zoonotic diseases.
The two sides further exchanged views on the WOAH Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway, which KPKM described as continuing to play an important role in supporting the continuous improvement of Malaysia’s veterinary services.
Chan expressed Malaysia’s appreciation for WOAH’s continued support in strengthening the country’s veterinary capacity, promoting transparent disease reporting, and advancing international animal health standards.
Senior officials from KPKM, DVS, DOF, PERHILITAN, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) also attended the meeting.
