Four years after the pandemic, International Animal Rescue’s ‘One Health’ Programme achieves significant progress in preventing animal-to-human disease transfer.

On Wednesday 13 March, 2024, the World Health Organization made a declaration that would change the course of history. The COVID-19 outbreak was officially declared a pandemic, sending shockwaves throughout the world. As countries scrambled to contain the virus and mitigate its devastating effects, one organization emerged as a beacon of hope – International Animal Rescue (IAR).

IAR’s One Health programme, launched in response to the complex challenges posed by poaching, wildlife trade, and zoonotic threats, aims to prevent future pandemics through education in biodiversity conservation and smart wildlife trade regulation. By bringing together multiple stakeholders, divisions, and communities, the programme addresses pressing issues of public health, wildlife trade, wild meat consumption, and environmental degradation.

“We are working closely with communities and actively educating them about the health risks associated with the trade and consumption of wildlife,” said Dr Wendi Prameswari, Senior Programme Officer One Health and Welfare at YIARI, IAR’s implementation partners in Indonesia. “The IARconserves One Health initiative works by raising public awareness and promoting community-led efforts that aim to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases.”

In addition to educating communities, the programme also engages key stakeholders involved in the management of markets selling live birds and other wildlife in Java. Through cross-sectoral collaborations between veterinarians, environmentalists, and public health experts, the programme strives to reduce the illegal and unregulated trade, as well as the consumption of wildlife, in order to prevent another zoonotic pandemic.

“Reducing the likelihood of another viral spillover sweeping the world requires a fundamental change in how we interact with nature,” said Gavin Bruce, CEO of International Animal Rescue. “It requires minimising health challenges at the human-wildlife-environment interface; eliminating transmission points where the likelihood of viral spillover to humans is high, such as unhygienic commercial wild animal markets; better regulation of the legal wildlife trade; diligently suppressing the illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade; and conserving natural habitats.”

IAR’s One Health programme has already seen success in its efforts, including government capacity building, seminars and talk shows to raise awareness about rabies and other zoonotic diseases, vaccinations of over 650 animals for rabies, sterilising over 60 dogs and cats, and distributing educational materials to local communities. The organization hopes to continue educating and changing behaviours in order to prevent a future zoonotic-related pandemic.

To learn more about IAR’s One Health programme and their holistic conservation strategy, IARconserves, visit https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/.