Recognizing the importance of emerging and re-emerging diseases, many of which are transmitted from animals to humans, the speed at which these diseases can appear and spread presents serious public health, economic, and developmental concerns. This situation underscores the urgent need to strengthen comprehensive disease detection and response capacities, particularly in geographic regions where such threats are most likely to arise—especially in Asia, from where they can rapidly disseminate worldwide through global transportation.
In response, the Veterinary Public Health Centre for Asia Pacific (VPHCAP) organized a special lecture on “Global Health Concerns: Emerging Pandemic Threats in Asia” on July 16, 2014, at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University. The lecture was delivered by Professor Dr. Wondwossen Gebreyes from The Ohio State University, USA, and focused on strategies to confront and manage emerging diseases in Asia, with an emphasis on the critical role of veterinarians in veterinary public health. The event was attended by more than 30 participants, including specialists, lecturers, students, and government officials.
