Who We Are
MEEREB is an informal network linking rabies experts from North Africa, Europe and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia committed to eliminate human rabies.
Background
Originally created in 2010 with 8 member countries, by 2015 MEEREB had expanded to include 15 countries, with representatives from the public health and veterinary sectors.
Activities and Achievements
In 2015, rabies experts from 11 MEEREB countries met in Lyon, France, alongside key stakeholders from the Pasteur Institute, the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), and the OIE, FAO and WHO. They discussed the rabies situation in their respective countries, identified strategies and emphasized the importance of dog-mediated rabies.
Since the creation of MEEREB in 2010, we have played an active role in:
- Promoting World Rabies Day (WRD) activities with GARC’s support, organizing events with successful engagement from key stakeholders from animal and human sectors and bolstering our growing network;
- Forging ties with other rabies organizations and initiatives;
- Participating in global conferences, meetings and consultations, along with other networks such as GARC.
Our Mission
MEEREB was created in 2010 with the overriding goal of supporting efforts on all fronts to eliminate human rabies. By combining our efforts and pooling our expertise, we aim to contribute to rabies prevention and control across countries from around the globe members of this network.
We cooperate with other regional initiatives in Asia and Africa coordinated by our partner, the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), to provide updated epidemiological information and share experiences and challenges. At the same time, we work on developing effective prevention and control initiatives adapted to specific regions.
How we work
Our members meet every other year to share information, measure progress and advance our agenda for rabies prevention and control activities. Our meetings provide an opportunity to:
- Present updates on the rabies situation in our respective countries
- Share experiences and exchange points of view
- Address specific challenges
- Develop practical solutions
In addition, we seek to promote rabies prevention and control by:
- Empowering local stakeholders
- Facilitating networking among member countries and partner international organizations: OIE, WHO, FAO, GARC
- Improving awareness and communication across different sectors
- Galvanizing the support of decision makers and engaging local players
Fondation Mérieux in Lyon, France, has been coordinating the MEEREB network’s activities since 2015, in cooperation with regional initiatives in Asia and Africa coordinated by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC).
GARC coordinates the former AREB and AfroREB networks, which have been merged to form the Pan-African Rabies Control Network (PARACON). Inter-regional networks are valuable platforms to communicate information among members and other stakeholders and promote cooperation.
Our Philosophy: "One Health"
Rabies illustrates just how closely intertwined animal health and human health are. The "One Health" concept recognizes that the health of humans is strongly connected to the health of animals and the environment. The experts within MEEREB advocate the "One Health" approach to enable physicians, ecologists and veterinarians and related public health stakeholders to work together to monitor and control the very serious public health threat that rabies represents.
MEEREB members are convinced that this approach is one of the keys to achieving the elimination of rabies, with a particular focus on dog-mediated rabies, and they call on all sectors and stakeholders to contribute to reaching this goal.
Member Countries
MEEREB is an inter-regional network of representatives from 15 countries in North Africa, Europe and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia.
- Algeria
- Croatia
- Georgia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Libya
- Morocco
- Poland
- Romania
- Serbia
- Tajikistan
- Tunisia
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
Meetings
Since it was created in 2010, MEEREB has organized 3 meetings:
- June 2010: Istanbul, Turkey
- June 2012: Paris, France
- April 2015: Lyon, France