The World Veterinary Association (WVA) and Ceva Santé Animale (Ceva) are pleased to announce the winner of the One Health category of the WVA Global Veterinary Awards, Dr. Simon Doherty, based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Dr. Doherty was nominated and supported by three WVA members – the British Veterinary Association nominated Dr Doherty with the support of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK) and of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association for his outstanding contributions to One Health.
He began his veterinary career working in a progressive farm animal and equine practice and was later appointed the Animal Health & Aquaculture Sector Specialist for the UK Government’s Department for International Trade. He went on to become President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and was the founding chair of the UK One Health Coordination Group, later
chairing the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) Food Safety & Sustainability Working Group.
For the last fifteen years, he has been working with the international NGO, Ripple Effect (formerly Send a Cow) which is involved in sustainable development in six sub-Saharan countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi & Zambia bringing his expertise in livestock health & welfare, and One Health, to the organisation.
He currently works as Senior Lecturer (Education) in Animal Health in the School of Biological Sciences & Institute of Global Food Security, Queen’s University, Belfast.
Dr. Doherty is the first category winner to be announced in the run up to the Awards ceremony which will take place on the 17th of April during the 39th World Veterinary Association Congress (WVAC), in Cape Town, South Africa.
The winners of the remaining awards for:
Animal Welfare, Veterinary Education, Medicine Stewardship and the Veterinary Student of the Year (supported by the International Veterinary Students’ Association-IVSA), will be announced in the months leading up to the event.
One overall winner will be named as Veterinarian of the Year on stage during the ceremony.
Speaking on behalf of the WVA, President Dr. Rafael Laguens, 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. This recognition spans a diverse array of fields within our profession, interconnected through the One Health approach. We express our gratitude to Ceva Santé Animale and its CEO, Dr. Marc Prikazsky, whose remarkable commitment to the One Health strategy has made these awards possible.”
For Ceva Santé Animale, Chairman and CEO Dr. Marc Prikazsky added: “We are delighted to have worked with our long-term partners, WVA, to bring a “new look” to the Global Veterinary Awards. The previous awards highlighted the incredible work many of my fellow veterinarians do to protect animal welfare. However, together with the WVA President, Dr. Rafael Laguens and his team, we felt it was time to draw attention to the equally important 3 other areas where WVA has a strategic focus – One Health, Medicine Stewardship and Veterinary Education. Ceva has been committed to work as a One Health company for well over a decade and I’m personally delighted to see Dr. Simon Doherty recognised for his major contribution in helping to promote a truly One Health approach.”
Congratulations Simon!