WOAH launches PREVENT Forum, a public-private dialogue mechanism to unlock full potential of animal disease prevention

PARIS, FRANCE, May 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) today launched the PREVENT Forum, a new five-year public-private platform designed to strengthen animal disease prevention, primarily through improved vaccination strategies. By bringing together governments, industry and partners, the Forum will focus on improving access to quality vaccines and supporting their more strategic use in animal health systems.

The launch is taking place during WOAH’s 93rd World Assembly of Delegates. It follows the publication of its global flagship report The State of the World’s Animal Health, which makes a strong investment case for better-resourced animal health systems to protect human health, food security, trade and livelihoods. The PREVENT Forum is a concrete response to that call, advancing prevention through structured public-private dialogue with a strong focus on vaccination.

Threats to animal health continue to grow worldwide. Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), bluetongue and Newcastle disease have highlighted the significant economic and societal costs of acting too late. Animal diseases are estimated to cost the global economy more than USD 300 billion every year, yet vaccination rates for most notifiable animal diseases remain well below 20%. Against this backdrop, governments, international organisations and industry stakeholders are increasingly recognising prevention as a strategic investment in global health security, food security and economic resilience.

Vaccination is one of the most effective tools available to prevent and control animal diseases, alongside strengthened biosecurity, surveillance, early detection and rapid response. Expanding access to quality vaccines and improving vaccine uptake can help reduce the risk of outbreaks, protect livelihoods, support food security and contribute to efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.

The PREVENT Forum will convene governments, vaccine manufacturers, regulators, producer groups, veterinary professionals, donors and intergovernmental organisations in a structured, year-round dialogue to improve animal disease prevention by focusing on vaccination.

The Forum's work is organised around seven priority areas reflected in its name: Planning, Regulatory pathways, Economic evidence, Vaccine access, Equity, National strategies and Trade. Each area reflects a barrier where progress requires the public and private sectors to work more closely together.
Following its first global technical session in October 2026, the Forum will aim to collectively build a Declaration setting a global vision for overcoming existing barriers to animal vaccination.

A timely response to shared commitments

The PREVENT Forum aims to translate existing global commitments into coordinated action. The 2024 UN Political Declaration on AMR called on countries to develop national animal vaccination strategies, and WOAH Resolution No. 29 (2025) called for regular, structured public-private dialogue to better integrate vaccination into animal health systems and improve prevention.

"Vaccines are one of our most powerful tools against animal disease — but access, regulation and financing gaps mean the potential is far from fully realised. The PREVENT Forum gives governments and industry a shared space to identify what is holding back progress and to act on it together. WOAH is proud to convene this effort, and we are committed to ensuring it delivers results for our Members and strengthens animal health systems globally," said Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran, Director-General, WOAH.

From dialogue to action

Year one will focus on building the evidence base for change. A global stakeholder survey will map gaps in vaccine access, regulation and financing, providing inputs to shape the Forum's first global session in October 2026 and the collective Declaration to follow. The PREVENT Forum will also host side events at existing global meetings where prevention and animal vaccination are on the agenda.

Governments, industry actors and partner organisations interested in engaging with the PREVENT Forum can contact the Secretariat at PREVENTForum@woah.org.

Donna Bowater
Marchmont Communications
donna@marchmontcomms.com

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