The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has released findings from a new multi-country analysis on the risk of spillover events from wildlife in Asia. The report, informed by a series of multisectoral workshops in India, Japan, and Vietnam, underscores the urgent need for improved coordination across human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Supported by the European Union and the Government of Japan, the initiative sheds light on critical gaps in surveillance, communication, and resource allocation that could undermine regional and global health security.
Key Findings from the WOAH Workshops
Limited Wildlife Surveillance Systems
Survey responses revealed that only about 25% of subnational regions maintain active wildlife surveillance systems, while half reported passive monitoring. Laboratory diagnostic capacity exists in some areas, but a lack of standardized wildlife disease priority lists and fragmented data systems severely limits preparedness. Frequently reported diseases include high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), classical swine fever (CSF), and rabies.
Barriers to Data Sharing and Coordination
Informal conversation remains the most common method of intersectoral communication. The analysis identified the top barriers to effective response as:
- Insufficient financial and human resources
- Lack of national information systems for wildlife diseases
- Absence of legal frameworks and formal mechanisms for data sharing
These gaps highlight the structural weakness in connecting animal health services, environmental agencies, and public health authorities.
Workforce and Capacity Limitations
Respondents repeatedly pointed to a shortage of trained professionals capable of conducting wildlife disease investigations, from field sampling to diagnostics and data analysis. This deficiency not only slows national response times but also weakens cross-border efforts to prevent zoonotic transmission.
Opportunities and Proposals for Strengthening Systems
Despite the challenges, the workshops revealed strong stakeholder willingness to collaborate. Participants proposed several pathways forward, including:
- Developing standard operating protocols for joint investigation of wildlife outbreaks
- Conducting regular multisectoral simulation exercises
- Expanding involvement of local communities and non-traditional stakeholders
- Using digital tools to streamline data sharing and reporting
- Establishing targeted training programs to boost national and subnational expertise
These steps, if implemented, could dramatically improve early detection of zoonotic threats.
Implications for Public Health Security
For the general public, the stakes are clear: unchecked spillover events can lead to outbreaks that cross borders with devastating health, social, and economic impacts. Strengthening surveillance and reporting in wildlife populations is not only a matter of veterinary or environmental concern but a national security imperative. By investing in multisectoral coordination, countries can protect citizens from emerging infectious diseases while safeguarding trade, travel, and economic stability.
A Regional Call to Action
The WOAH analysis emphasizes that pandemic preparedness cannot be siloed. Disease threats do not respect boundaries—geographic, disciplinary, or bureaucratic. The lessons from Asia point toward the need for holistic, One Health approaches, bringing together animal, human, and environmental health sectors in coordinated action. The findings are a timely reminder that proactive investment in surveillance and coordination is essential to reducing the risk of another pandemic emerging from wildlife reservoirs.
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Risk Analysis of Spillover Events in Wildlife in Asia, 11 August 2025