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British vet wins One Health WVA Global Veterinary Award
Dr Doherty has worked to support sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Simon Doherty is the first WVA award winner to be announced.

Dr Simon Doherty, a veterinary surgeon based in Northern Ireland, has been named as the winner in the One Health category of the World Veterinary Association (WVA) Global Veterinary Awards.

He was nominated for the award by the British Veterinary Association (BVA), with support from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr Doherty’s veterinary career started in farm animal and equine practice. He was later appointed animal health and aquaculture sector specialist at the Department of International Trade in the UK government.

He then went on to sit as president of the BVA, and as the founding chair of the UK One Health Coordination Group. He later chaired the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe Food Safety & Sustainability Working Group.

For the last 15 years he has worked with the Ripple Effect, an international non-governmental organisation involved in sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr Doherty’s expertise in livestock health & welfare has supported the organisation’s One Health work in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia.

He now works as a senior lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Global Food Security at Queen’s University, Belfast.

Dr Doherty’s award is the first of five categories that will be announced ahead of the WVA Global Veterinary Awards ceremony on 17 April. Winners are due to be announced for the Animal Welfare, Veterinary Education, Medicine Stewardship and Veterinary Student of the Year categories in due course.

One category winner will also be named Veterinarian of the Year on stage during ceremony.

Dr Rafael Laguens, president of the WVA, said: “On behalf of the World Veterinary Association, I am pleased to extend congratulations to all the winners of this first edition of the Global Veterinary Awards.

“Together, with them, the WVA seeks to recognize the outstanding effort of veterinarians globally for the benefit of society, animals, and the environment.”

The awards ceremony will take place as part of the 39th World Veterinary Association Congress (WVAC) in Cape Town, South Africa on 17 April.

Image © World Veterinary Association

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
Wales licenses Bluetongue vaccines for voluntary use

The Welsh government has approved three Bluetongue vaccines for emergency use in Wales.

From 1 March an online general licence will become available for the vaccines' use. They will then be obtainable on prescription and can be sold by veterinary practices.

After appropriate guidance, livestock keepers will be permitted to administer the vaccines themselves. The vaccines must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and detailed vaccination records must be kept for five years.

The decision comes as Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) continues to spread across England. The three vaccines are already licensed for use in England.

Richard Irvine, CVO for Wales, said: "This decision to licence these vaccines was informed by our recent risk assessment indicating that Wales is now at high risk of experiencing an incursion of Bluetongue this year.

"Our primary aim is to keep Bluetongue out of Wales through biosecurity, vigilance and safe sourcing of livestock."