GALVmed, WOAH formalise partnership to improve veterinary product access

GLOBAL – GALVmed and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have signed a memorandum of understanding at the 92nd WOAH General Session this week, formalising a long-standing collaboration to improve access to quality veterinary products and strengthen animal disease prevention efforts in low- and middle-income countries.

The partnership will focus on improving coordination between the two organisations and creating an enabling environment to ensure veterinary medicines and vaccines are effectively administered and reach small-scale livestock producers.

GALVmed said the collaboration aims to strengthen the capacity to prevent and control animal diseases and improve access to quality veterinary products for farmers in underserved markets.

The agreement builds on years of cooperation between the two organisations across veterinary medicine regulation, vaccine access, and animal health systems development, particularly in Africa.

GALVmed and WOAH previously collaborated on initiatives to support the harmonisation of veterinary product registration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. 

The programme aimed to simplify regulatory processes and improve access to approved veterinary medicines across multiple countries.

The organisations have also worked together on improving vaccine availability for livestock diseases, including Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth disease, East Coast fever, and peste des petits ruminants, which continue to affect livestock productivity and food security across Africa and parts of the Middle East.

Veterinary product access remains a major challenge

The formalisation of the partnership comes as the livestock sector in Africa continues to expand rapidly amid rising demand for animal protein, urbanisation, and population growth.

However, access to veterinary products and animal health services remains limited in many rural areas, particularly for smallholder farmers who account for a significant share of livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to WOAH, weak veterinary infrastructure, fragmented regulatory systems, and inconsistent distribution channels continue to slow the availability of quality vaccines and medicines in developing markets.

GALVmed has been involved in multiple programmes designed to improve livestock health and productivity through better vaccine delivery systems and market development initiatives. 

In its latest annual report, the organisation said more than 61 million day-old chicks were vaccinated through its poultry-focused PREVENT initiative in 2024, nearly double the previous year’s figure.

Industry stakeholders increasingly view stronger partnerships among international organisations, governments, and private-sector actors as critical to improving disease surveillance and reducing livestock losses from preventable animal diseases.

Broader collaboration trend across Africa

The new WOAH agreement also reflects a broader trend of collaborative frameworks aimed at improving animal health systems across Africa.

Last year, GALVmed signed a separate memorandum of understanding with the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) to support policy harmonisation, veterinary product access, and disease prevention initiatives across the continent.

Improved access to vaccines and veterinary medicines is expected to play an increasingly important role in supporting Africa’s livestock and feed industries as producers face growing pressure to improve productivity, biosecurity, and food safety standards while meeting rising regional demand for meat, milk, eggs, and aquaculture products.

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