The global Essential Veterinary Medicine List (EVML) has received the Inaugural Collaboration Award presented by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), an observer member of the World Veterinary Association (WVA), in recognition of its contribution to improving worldwide access to essential veterinary medicines.
The nomination for the award was submitted by The Brooke, which highlighted that the global EVML was created in response to the reality that many veterinarians — particularly in low- and middle-income countries — do not have reliable access to essential veterinary medicines.
The List serves as an accessible and practical resource identifying priority medicines for procurement and use, while also providing a blueprint that countries can adapt according to national priorities, disease prevalence, and local veterinary needs. The initiative reflects a shared global commitment to improving animal health, animal welfare, public health, and responsible antimicrobial use.
Since its launch in 2024, the global EVML has already contributed to significant progress, supporting the development of the first national Essential Veterinary Medicine Lists in Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, and Malawi, while also informing revisions of existing lists in Tanzania and Uganda.
The award application emphasised the uniquely collaborative nature of the initiative, noting that the project brings together veterinary professionals from across the entire spectrum of animal healthcare and values expertise at every stage of service provision.
The application stated:
“The project is unique in its global, collaborative approach involving veterinary professionals from all backgrounds and valuing their expertise in their specific part of the chain of service provision. WVA and Brooke value diverse expertise from academics, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) antimicrobial experts and epidemiologists to practitioners working on large-scale commercial farms and those veterinarians delivering last-mile animal healthcare to smallholder farmers. This inclusive collaboration has fostered mutual learning and produced a powerful tool that improves access to essential medicines and addresses a major One Health challenge: antimicrobial resistance.”
Commenting on the award, Professor Tim Parkin, President of the RCVS, said:
“This project is such a great example of the power of collaboration and how the relatively simple idea of working together to ensure that more people get more information can have tangible impacts on animal health and welfare — as well as lives and livelihoods — across the world.”
The WVA welcomed the recognition as an important acknowledgement of the value of international collaboration in strengthening access to veterinary medicines and supporting veterinarians globally in delivering effective, evidence-based animal healthcare.