The World Organisation for Animal Health (founded as OIE)'s mission is to improve animal health and welfare worldwide. Indeed, animals and animal health systems play a vital role in food security, nutrition, as well as the economic and social wellbeing of humanity. Securing animal health is key to preventing zoonotic diseases and emerging infectious diseases affecting humans, 75% of which are of animal origin. Recognising this, WOAH has developed international standards on both the quality of Veterinary Services’ provision, as well as technical animal health and veterinary public health management. Two Chapters (3.1 and 3.2) of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code are dedicated to the Quality of Veterinary Services.

Based on these principles and standards, WOAH has developed the PVS Pathway, the WOAH’s flagship capacity building platform for the sustainable improvement of national Veterinary Services. The PVS Pathway empowers national Veterinary Services by providing them with a comprehensive understanding of their strengths and weaknesses using a globally consistent methodology providing a useful external perspective that can reveal inefficiencies and opportunities for innovation. This enables countries to take ownership and prioritise improvements to their animal health system.

The different steps of the PVS Pathway cycle are summarised in the diagram below. Of particular interest are the IHR/PVS National Bridging Workshops (under Targeted support), a joint WHO/WOAH activity, which allows countries to improve collaboration between their Public Health and Animal Health sectors.

For additional information regarding the PVS Pathway, including questions relative to accessing PVS Pathway mission reports not publicly available on this website, please contact the Capacity Building Department.