WVS and Mission Rabies founder is awarded WSAVA's One Health Award

We are delighted to report that our founder and CEO Luke Gamble, has been announced as the winner of the WSAVA's 2016 One Health Award.

This award, which is presented by the WSAVA’s One Health Committee (OHC), is awarded to an individual that has promoted an aspect of 'One Health' relevant to small companion animals.

Luke (who is also the CEO and founder of our sister charity Mission Rabies) was selected for his on-going commitment to eliminating rabies. In 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) asked him to sit on an expert panel for the International Control of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases based on his rabies work globally.

Chair of the WSAVA OHC, Professor Michael Day said: "The current most significant example of the importance of a One Health approach to disease control relates to the global fight against canine rabies - a disease that continues to cause an estimated minimum 59,000 human deaths each year. Luke is a world leader in this global fight. Mission Rabies runs mass vaccination campaigns and provides public education in Asia and Africa, having now vaccinated almost 400,000 dogs, spoken to over 500,000 schoolchildren and successfully controlled rabies in selected target areas.

"The Mission Rabies programme is grounded in solid evidence-based science, with the field data collected having now generated the first high-class scientific manuscripts. Luke is a truly inspirational and charismatic leader who believes in simply getting on with the job at hand. The achievements of Mission Rabies and its sister charity, Worldwide Veterinary Service, readily show that even the greatest global health challenges are not insurmountable."

Luke said: "It’s a huge honour to receive this award and I accept it on behalf of an amazing team - without whom - the projects would be impossible. It’s an utter privilege to be a part of the veterinary profession and fighting diseases like rabies is an incredible opportunity to champion both animals and people – something we can all identify with. I’m totally indebted to WSAVA and the international veterinary community, whose support has been overwhelming, and it is only with this unity, that we can keep driving forward – and winning."

Luke will receive his award in September in Colombia at the 2016 WSAVA World Congress, where he will also present an overview of his work via a lecture entitled ‘One Mission’.