GARC welcomes new Executive Director

On July 1st 2014, Dr Deborah Briggs stepped down after 7 years as Executive Director of GARC, but will remain an integral part of the GARC board. Professor Louis Nel of the University of Pretoria, South Africa, is GARC’s new Executive Director, and here he shares his vision for the organization going forward:

Since its inception in 2007, GARC has proven its relevance through innovative contributions towards the ultimate vision of a world free of dog rabies.

GARC strived to fulfill a niche role, complementary to the roles and mandates of other players in the global human and animal health communities. I believe that this effort has been much appreciated, and contributed to stronger bonds and resolve among the key players in the global rabies community.

This includes the tripartite of intergovernmental agencies (FAO, OIE and WHO) and associated rabies collaborating centres and rabies reference laboratories, as well as the pharmaceutical industry, academic institutions and a wide network of animal welfare organizations.

GARC is not about individuals, but it would be remiss of me not to highlight the crucial founding role that Dr. Debbie Briggs played in the success of GARC. Her vision, dedication, persuasive optimism and unfailing belief in the objectives and potential impact of GARC were crucial to its success. Her legacy will remain an integral gauge to the path and the values of the organization in the years ahead.

It is worth emphasizing that rabies is a neglected disease. Despite basic solutions for the disease (methodology, biologics) being known and available, there has been a lack of progress in dog rabies control in vast areas of the world and those responsible have failed to respond appropriately.

I would argue that the largest hurdle to the elimination of dog and human rabies lies in lack of political priority and will. Stepping into the role of Executive Director of GARC, it is now my job to ensure that we maintain and enhance the strategic role of GARC towards a rabies-free world.

To do so, I believe that we need to recognize and focus on our specific areas of strength, namely the creation of universal awareness of the neglect of rabies and the potential for elimination of the disease through effective advocacy and communication mechanisms, and supporting professional networks of the highest calibre.

It is no coincidence that the universally celebrated annual World Rabies Day (WRD) has been such a phenomenal success. The concept of WRD was much needed and allows parties on all levels, from individuals to global intergovernmental bodies, an opportunity to focus on rabies advocacy and communication initiatives. It will be our challenge to continue to grow and invigorate WRD and its global impact.

The establishment of the Partners for Rabies Prevention (PRP) was also an important early step in the growth of GARC. Such unifying structure was needed, as is shown by the harmonious productivity of the group. From this body of global rabies authorities, the first rabies blueprint was created during 2009-2010, to help local authorities to create and implement effective rabies control initiatives. We need to revise these blueprints as dynamic tools that recognize and address the realities of the challenges and requirements of effective rabies interventions at ground level.

On the educational level, I am excited about new GARC instruments such as the Rabies Educator Certificate (REC). This online training course is in its final stages of testing and is certain to become a powerful educational, and advocacy tool. My experience has been that there is overwhelming interest in this concept. Advanced levels of the REC and supporting educational and training initiatives are planned for the future.

GARC has recognized that demonstration or pilot programmes are essential as catalysts for national and global approaches to improved dog rabies control and human rabies prevention. In this regard, global partnering to address the neglect of dog rabies in the developing world has resulted in several projects with the core objective of demonstrating human rabies prevention through dog rabies control and eventual elimination.

Additionally, data from such demonstration programmes can answer questions about the health economics of rabies in terms of the cost of disease and the cost of control. This is critical to making the case for rabies control to policy makers and donors, and deserving of our every effort.

I reiterate that the largest hurdle to the elimination of dog and human rabies lies in a lack of political priority and failure to adequately address dog rabies as a classical zoonosis. However, many of us have sensed a gradual change in this attitude over the past few years as we continue to unite as a global rabies community in our resolve to make the conjoint case for dog rabies elimination and human rabies prevention. I find this trend hugely encouraging and look forward to continued progress in the fight against rabies.

Louis Nel