PREZODE (Preventing ZOonotic Disease Emergence) is an international collaborative initiative working to provide a scientific framework for pandemic prevention. It aims at enhancing prevention, early detection, and resilience to avoid or rapidly respond to emerging infectious diseases of animal origin that can turn into pandemics.
An international initiative based on the One Health approach, which encompasses human, animal, and environmental health, PREZODE fosters multilateral collaboration with and between countries and other initiatives to promote prevention, early detection, and resilience in response to emerging infectious diseases of animal origin. The initiative aims to improve ecosystem management and strengthen surveillance through multi-actor dynamics to maximize its impacts. PREZODE’s main objective is to develop a research framework to understand the macro processes and drivers leading to the emergence of zoonoses in a context of global change, and to co-design relevant solutions for reducing such risks and their early detection.
A bottom-up and co-design approach
By adopting a bottom-up and co-design approach based on scientific methods, PREZODE promotes the drafting of relevant public policies and actions for pandemic risk reduction and prevention, while still ensuring the food security and livelihoods of the poorest communities. It facilitates knowledge-sharing and provides a resource centre for decision-makers. It aims at supporting countries to develop scientifically based prevention activities under the One Health framework advocated by international organizations.
Through a dynamic approach involving multiple actors around the globe, the initiative brings together a broad community of members with shared values: research and academic institutes and universities, governments, decision-makers, civil society organizations, foundations, and private companies.
Ensure international cooperation
Through its community of practice, PREZODE enhances coordination, promotes synergies, facilitates the sharing of lessons learned, and encourages the exchange of best practices. It strengthens and integrates knowledge, innovation, capacity building, and operational actions. It deploys academic research, cross-sectoral collaboration in the field, and the engagement of operational actors on the frontline of epidemics, considering both livestock and wildlife.