Open Veterinary Journal, (2025), Vol. 15(5): 1865

Letter to the Editor

10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i5.2

A collaborative regional approach for disease control in Southeast Asia

Krishna Prasad Acharya^1* and Sarita Phuyal²

¹Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Animal Disease Investigation and Control Division (ADICD), Lalitpur, Nepal

²Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Central Referral Veterinary Hospital (CRVH), Kathmandu, Nepal

*Corresponding Author: Krishna Prasad Acharya. Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Animal Disease Investigation and Control Division (ADICD), Lalitpur, Nepal. Email: kpa26 [at] cantab.ac.uk

Submitted: 27/03/2025 Revised: 13/04/2025 Accepted: 26/04/2025 Published: 31/05/2025

Dear Editor

Southeast Asian countries, such as India, Pakistan, and Nepal, are endemic to several animal diseases, including zoonotic ones (Ghosal et al., 2024). These countries continue to grapple with controlling these diseases, facing significant challenges due to their porous borders. The frequent movement of animals across these borders undermines disease control efforts, as single-country initiatives often fail to effectively prevent and control disease outbreaks. However, disease prevention and control programs in the region have frequently overlooked the crucial importance of cross-border collaboration. Consequently, such collaborations are rarely conducted, significantly hampering the implementation and success of control measures. Political tensions and cross-border conflicts, particularly between India and Pakistan, have further impeded efforts to establish a unified regional approach for disease control.

Without a coordinated cross-border strategy, the spillover of pathogens from one country to another remains inevitable, posing a severe risk of disease flare-ups in importing countries. This underscores the urgent need for a regional approach to disease prevention and control that prioritizes cross-border collaboration in disease surveillance, contact tracing, and control activities. Setting aside political tensions and conflicts is essential for the effective implementation of such efforts.

We propose that countries in this region invest in a combined regional strategy that focuses on robust disease surveillance and early warning systems at their borders. These systems would enable earlier identification, better tracking, and more effective responses to diseases that disregard national boundaries. Strengthening cross-border partnerships in Southeast Asia can foster mutual benefits, helping all nations combat shared threats and mitigate the risks of disease outbreaks.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Authors’ contribution

K.P.A. and S.P. contributed equally to this manuscript.

Reference

Ghosal, S., Pradhan, R., Singh, S., Velayudhan, A., Kerketta, S., Parai, D., Choudhary, H.R., Pattnaik, M., Bhattacharya, D. and Pati, S. 2024. One health intervention for the control and elimination of scrub typhus, anthrax, and brucellosis in Southeast Asia: a systematic review. Lancet Reg. Heal. Southeast Asia 30, 100503; doi: 10.1016/j.lansea.2024.100503