NOAH publishes Animal Health Manifesto
NOAH has made 15 recommendations to parliamentary candidates.
The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has launched its Animal Health Manifesto, as political candidates continue their campaigns for the 2024 general election.
The trade association is calling for parliamentary candidates to support their key policy pledges, which it says will challenge the critical issues facing the animal health industry.
In total, NOAH has made 15 recommendations to campaigning parliamentary candidates. It has also invited the key stakeholders in the veterinary and animal industries to get involved with conversations about animal health and welfare.
Among the recommendations in NOAH’s Animal Health Manifesto 2024 is an innovative regulatory framework for animal medicines. It believes that new regulation could future-proof the development of novel products, and will ensure accessibility to effective animal medicines in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The manifesto also calls for a commitment to One Health solutions, which would see a collaboration between human, animal and environmental sectors to find solutions to One Health issues.
NOAH asks that parliamentary candidates do their parts to promote the responsible use of medicines. It says that candidates can encourage a proactive outlook on animal health and welfare, including disease prevention and medicine use.
Finally, it says political parties need to prioritise more funding towards research and development of new medicines and animal health solutions.
The association is hoping that an incoming government will learn One Health lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. This would include investments in diagnostics, disease surveillance and disease monitoring, which could protect the UK in future disease outbreaks.
Dawn Howard, NOAH chief executive, said: “We believe that these policy proposals are not only crucial for the wellbeing of animals but also for the health and prosperity of our communities and environment.
“The recommendations are designed to address the current and future challenges of the sector, ensuring a holistic One Health approach that benefits animal, human, and environmental health.
“We urge all parliamentary candidates to read our manifesto and ask the next government to support these measures to ensure a thriving animal health sector in the years to come.”
The full manifesto can be found here.
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