Health Security Hero Dr Abrao Pereira

Dr Abrao Pereira What is your area of animal health?

I am interested in veterinary public health and epidemiology as this has a unique importance to Timor-Leste. As a young country with considerable health challenges, I strongly believe that veterinary public health and epidemiology play key roles in protecting human health through controlling zoonotic diseases. I am also keen to apply veterinary public health and epidemiology skills to improve the livelihood of Timorese farmers who are reliant on subsistence livestock farming.

What is your role in the Asia Pacific Consortium of Veterinary Epidemiology project?

As part of the APCOVE team, my role involves coordinating APCOVE work in Timor-Leste which includes facilitating an online survey, coordinating the stakeholder consultation, and providing a local perspective as part of module teams for development of the online modules.

There are growing challenges in the human and animal health sector in Timor-Leste and the region. To address these, I strongly believe that improving the skills of the animal health workforce is crucial to ensure that they effectively exercise their responsibilities to protect the health and wellbeing of humans and animals. In a country like Timor-Leste where the animal health workforce is under-resourced, improving the skills of the existing animal health professionals particularly in key skills such as surveillance and animal disease control is important to develop timely and appropriate responses to the disease threat to both human and animal health.