The Pedro N. Acha Award
for Veterinary Public Health

“I would like to put forth the notion that the veterinary profession should serve humanity. Those who are responsible for the professional education in the veterinary sciences should grasp this idea and begin to guide our training centers to the three principal services benefiting humankind: agriculture, biology and public health. I believe that if we were to do any less, we would fail in our mission…” Pedro Acha, DVM

The health of human beings is tied to the health of animals, both domestic and wild, in many ways. Certain diseases can be transmitted, directly or indirectly. Infections and parasitic diseases of livestock may kill the animals outright, may necessitate their destruction or may reduce the survivors' production of meat or milk, all of which can in turn reduce the food supply available to humans. Such diseases are also an obstacle to international trade and may become a serious financial drain on the economy of a community or country — an impact which may have broad repercussions for health in a society.

The Pedro N. Acha Award for Veterinary Public Health, created in 1993, is one of five awards presented by the Pan American Health and Education Foundation through its Awards for Excellence in Inter-American Public Health Program, a partnership between the Foundation and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Recognizing the importance of veterinary public health to the peoples of the Americas and the economies of the countries, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation established the Pedro N. Acha Award for Veterinary Public Health. This award recognizes outstanding research based on a thesis written by an undergraduate student in veterinary public health within the last three years. It also aims to encourage dedication to the highest standards of study and professionalism.

A distinguished jury of veterinary public health professionals reviews nominations, and recommends a research thesis to the board of trustees of the Foundation for final selection.

The award is presented to the winning undergraduate student at a ceremony co-sponsored by the PAHO/WHO office in the winner's country and the Ministry of Health or other appropriate national institution. The awardee receives US$1,500 and a certificate of merit.

Dr. Pedro Acha, a world-renowned public health veterinarian and international health expert, served as the chief of PAHO's Veterinary Public Health Unit from 1957 to 1986. After his retirement, he joined the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to coordinate inter-institutional relations. Dr. Acha was also a member of numerous FAO/WHO expert committees on zoonoses and veterinary medical education throughout his career.

During his lifetime, Dr. Acha advanced knowledge about zoonoses among public health professionals through his numerous publications. He was perhaps best known for the book he co-wrote with Boris Szyfres, Zoonoses and Communicable Diseases Common to Man and Animals, which has become the definitive text on these diseases.

Dr. Acha contributed new perspectives to veterinary medicine by calling attention to the link between the health and agriculture sectors, while considering economic and social factors for improving the health and quality of life of all the people of the Americas. In recognition of these contributions, he received many accolades, including the International Veterinary Congress Prize from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Gentle Doctor Award from the World Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, the Hipolito Unanue Award from Peru, and the Order of Agricultural Merit from France.

He held a veterinary medicine degree from the National University of San Marcos in his native Peru. He received a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship to study at the University of California-Berkeley, where he graduated with a master's degree in public health in 1955.

Through 29 April 2005, the Foundation invites the deans or directors of Latin American and Caribbean schools of veterinary medicine and animal sciences to nominate an undergraduate student (a bachelor's degree or Licenciatura) who has prepared a scientific paper or an undergraduate research thesis within the veterinary public health field. The research thesis should cover zoonoses, food protection, animal health and production, development of biomedical models (animal research models or in vitro substitutes), animal husbandry (zootechnics), biology, food animal technology, or environmental protection related to livestock or other domesticated animals. The research paper/thesis must have been written within the last three years. The maximum number of research papers that will be accepted for nomination from any one school is three.

To be considered, the nomination must be completed in its entirety.

To make a nomination, please submit a letter of introduction (no longer than one page) on official letterhead, a clearly readable copy of the nominated research paper (the paper will not be returned), and a completed and signed nomination form to the PAHO/WHO Country Office of the nominee (See list). The nomination package (letter, research paper, & nomination form) needs to be addressed to the attention of the PAHO/WHO Country Representative (PWR). The letter must include the name of the undergraduate student whose paper is being nominated and the name and title of the student's advisor; it must also be signed by the dean or director of the school of veterinary medicine and animal sciences in Latin America or the Caribbean. If the nomination package is submitted electronically, the letter and nomination form must have an electronic signature. Any unsigned documents will not be considered.

PAHO/WHO staff members in active service, sitting members of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, and members of the Pedro Acha Award Jury are ineligible to receive the award.

Submitted items other than the letter, the nominated research paper, and the completed and signed application form will not be considered by the jury. Nominations must be received no later than 29 April 2005. Nominations received in the country-office PAHO/WHO office of the nominee after this date will not be accepted.