To reduce the public health risks associated with the sale of live wild animals for food in traditional food markets, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have issued guidance on actions that national governments should consider adopting urgently with the aim of making traditional markets safer and recognizing their central role in providing food and livelihoods for large populations.
In particular, WHO, OIE and UNEP call on national competent authorities to suspend the trade in live caught wild animals of mammalian species for food or breeding purposes and close sections of food markets selling live caught wild animals of mammalian species as an emergency measure when effective regulations are not in place or risk assessments are not adequate.
This document focuses on the risk of disease emergence in traditional food markets where live animals are sold for food. UNEP supports the sustainable use of wild animals that contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and is in line with national and international regulations regarding threatened and endangered species.
[Story] - Guidance on sale of live wild mammals seeks to reduce public health risk
Photo: Unsplash/James Wainscoat
