FAO joins new global efforts targeting Ebola and other infectious diseases

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today stressed the need for controls on animal health to help curb the spread of Ebola and other infectious diseases dangerous to humans, during discussions hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama. The FAO chief joined leaders of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and representatives from more than 40 countries at the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) event held at the White House in Washington, D.C. President Obama underscored the importance of dealing with the breakout of infectious diseases collectively, highlighting that in a world that is deeply interconnected, outbreaks have the potential to impact every country. “No nation can meet this challenge on its own. Nobody is that isolated,” he said, stressing the need for global cooperation. The U.S. government-initiated GHSA is an international partnership to strengthen health systems with the objective to prevent, detect and respond to emerging disease...