If you have listened to our podcast or seen me speak at conferences, you have probably heard me refer to partnerships. But what do I mean when I talk about being partners?

The Knowledge Hub on the emergence site reflects some of what I consider partnership.  Here you will find infographics, information bulletins, and radio scripts to be used to alert the public about upcoming vaccination campaigns.  There are webinars, reports from conferences, and podcasts with experts from around the world.

Partnership is about sharing knowledge and experience, about listening to others, and valuing their skills and opinions.  If we are to eliminate, or even control, these diseases, then we need to combine both local and global know-how.  Successful vaccination programs require an understanding of local socio-cultural aspects, monitoring and surveillance, herd dynamics, communication, epidemiology, and of vaccines.

World Rabies Day is the 28^th September.  The focus of this day, and the month running up to it, is to bring rabies into the forefront of people’s minds.  To remind them that the poorest people in the world still have to cope with this devastating disease.  It is one of the WHO’s “neglected diseases”.  And yet eliminating this disease will not only save human and animal lives, it will improve the welfare of people and animals alike. 

No one can do this alone, but together we can make the difference that is needed.  We do it by bringing our combined skills forward and being partners.