On May 29, 2025, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has officially designated the Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals (MoZWE) and the Thailand-National Wildlife Health Center (Thailand-NWHC) of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, as the WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health Surveillance and Epidemiology.
MoZWE is responsible for the surveillance and monitoring of emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks from wildlife, exotic animals, and migratory animals. Meanwhile, Thailand-NWHC serves as a coordinating unit among government sectors, private sectors, and academic institutions for monitoring and surveillance on threats to wildlife and the environment, strengthening the national animal health network, and developing diagnostic services for wildlife diseases.
Since 2019, the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, in collaboration with the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (USGS NWHC), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and other organizations, has been actively involved in capacity building for wildlife disease diagnosis and surveillance in Thailand. This has been achieved through the WOAH Twinning Project and partnerships with various activities, including workshops and conferences.
As the WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health Surveillance and Epidemiology, MoZWE and Thailand-NWHC will be responsible for providing scientific expertise and support to the WOAH and Member countries, and for promoting international collaboration on wildlife disease surveillance. This will strengthen disease surveillance capabilities across Thailand and other WOAH Member Countries
The announcement of this designation took place at the 92nd General Session of the World Assembly of Delegates of the World Organisation for Animal Health in Paris, France
