IFAH acknowledges OIE’s announcement on the successful eradication of rinderpest

The International Federation for Animal Health, IFAH, applauds the announcement made yesterday at the 79th General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that rinderpest, one of the deadliest diseases of cattle and of several other animal species, is eradicated. The remaining countries were certified as rinderpest-free.

IFAH’s Executive Director Barbara Freischem explains: “It is a historical moment, brought about by the concerted efforts of the FAO and the OIE, with the use of appropriate tools, involving vaccines, diagnostics and above all a reliable certification process of disease-free status. Rinderpest is only the second disease (after smallpox) ever to be eradicated, and the first animal disease. Rinderpest had devastating effects on society, affecting the livelihoods of animal owners, and even impacting staple food production through loss of traction power. OIE and FAO are to be congratulated for this achievement, and I would refer interested readers to the OIE press release on rinderpest eradication for more information.”

Read OIE Director General Bernard Vallat’s editorial “The odyssey of rinderpest eradication”
http://www.oie.int/for-the-media/editorials/detail/article/the-odyssey-of-rinderpest-eradication/

See the full OIE press release “No more deaths from rinderpest – OIE’s recognition pathway paved way for global declaration of eradication by FAO member countries in June”
http://www.oie.int/for-the-media/press-releases/detail/article/no-more-deaths-from-rinderpest/