This IPC Week, we’re not just celebrating best practices—we’re aligning with a global movement. The Lancet’s One Health Commission (link in comments), now embedded in international agreements and policy frameworks, has redefined health as a property of socio-ecological systems. For veterinary professionals, this means infection prevention is no longer a siloed concern—it’s a cornerstone of planetary health.
Veterinary practice sits at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. With over 70% of emerging infectious diseases being zoonotic, the role of vets in surveillance, prevention, and education is more critical than ever.
This IPC Week, we stand up for:
- Integrated surveillance: Monitoring animal health is now part of global pandemic preparedness.
- Antimicrobial stewardship: Combatting resistance through responsible prescribing and education.
- Environmental hygiene: Clean clinics and sustainable waste management protect ecosystems.
- Climate-aware practice: Recognizing how environmental shifts affect disease patterns.
- Cross-sector collaboration: Working with public health, agriculture, and environmental bodies to build resilience.
The One Health framework urges us to embed infection prevention in all policies, from clinic protocols to national biosecurity strategies. It’s not just about compliance—it’s about leadership.
🧼🐾 Veterinary professionals are not just caregivers—they are guardians of global health.
Let’s use IPC Week 2025 to reaffirm our commitment to safe, sustainable, and interconnected care.
If you want to test your knowledge, have a look at this ACSQHC IPC Week quiz
And these resources developed by ACIPC
Link to The Lancet One Health Commission: harnessing our interconnectedness for equitable, sustainable, and healthy socioecological systems https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40683291/