Conference in Jornadas Vigilancia Sanitaria 2023: presente y futuro para 2030

July 9^th, 2023

Torres G.

Animal health and public health managers face complex problems that require effective scientific advice to address them correctly. While not claiming that the scientific evidence generated by surveillance systems should be the sole element in the decision-making process, they are crucial for effectively managing risks in animal health and public health.

Animal health surveillance systems must generate evidence and scientific knowledge capable of helping health managers accurately describe the nature of the problem, propose solutions, and assess the impacts of different control strategies.

In most situations, the scientific and technical knowledge generated by surveillance systems is incomplete or not available, requiring mobilization of the scientific community to generate the necessary evidence to support decision-making. In other cases, the knowledge exists, but the complexity of the problem requires a source of multidisciplinary knowledge that may hinder its use by health managers. In all cases, the scientific community and the expertise of subject matter experts are an essential pillar in decision-making in the field of animal health.

The science-policy interface should include an effective communication strategy capable of transparently and responsibly conveying scientific and technical knowledge so that decision-makers can effectively manage the uncertainties and ambiguities inherent in scientific knowledge.

Using the World Organisation for Animal Health`s Science System and data management strategy as an example, we will explore the challenges in decision-making to address multifactorial and complex problems, as well as the opportunities that digitization provides for sustainably managing animal health and public health issues while meeting the needs of society and respecting the environment.

	Science Department. World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
	Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM).