Brian G. Bedard is a Board member with Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord Canada.
Brian G. Bedard, the Director of Food Safety and Animal Health at Alinea International, is a veterinary epidemiologist and food safety specialist with 40 years of international development experience living and working in Africa, South East Asia, China, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.
His professional experience has involved animal health and production, food safety, disease control and pandemic preparedness planning, sustainable agriculture, education and training, and the facilitation of sustainable agri-food value chains through public-private partnerships. Through multiple overseas postings he has managed international development programs including the World Bank Global Food Safety Partnership (GFSP), the Global Program for Human and Avian Influenza (GPAI), One Health Initiatives, and food safety education and training as Executive Director of the Science and Education Foundation in the US. He currently oversees food safety and One Health programs in Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia for Alinea International.
This article explores the diverse and often underrecognized roles of veterinarians within a One Health framework, highlighting how their work in animal health, food safety, wildlife conservation, and climate adaptation strengthens communities, safeguards ecosystems, and supports global health resilience.
This article examines the vital role of veterinarians in immunization and disease prevention, highlighting how VWB’s One Health approach — through vaccination campaigns, CAHW training, and real-time disease surveillance — protects public health, supports farmer livelihoods, and strengthens animal health systems in vulnerable communities.
In remote areas, like the far North, dog bites are more prevalent. This Dog Bite Prevention Week, we're raising awareness about how reading dog body language and improving access to veterinary care can reduce bites—and prevent the spread of diseases like rabies.
