Epidemic disease outbreaks of zoonotic origin such as Avian Influenza, SARSor BSEare increasingly common lately. The thesis aims at exploring the underlying reasons for risks occurrence in the public health sector due to the increase in animal production. It adopts an economic perspective and compares human health systems and animal health systems. A comparative literature review is undertaken of animal health andits humanhealth counterpart It explores the underlying economic reasonsfor the weakening of public health and animal health systems. The role of the structural adjustment programmes, followed by market-based economic principles (especially privatisation of public services) is analysed. The market failures existing in this field are examined along with associatedpolicy implications. Characteristic of the thesis is the underlying comparison of human and animal health systems from the funding mechanism to service delivery. In the latter case, community-based systemsin both the human and animal fields are chosen asa comparative case-study. Hence, the thesis presents first, the possible options to fund activities in the animal health field to prevent the spread of such types of diseases.The recent Avian Influenza outbreak in Vietnam (2004-2005) is taken as an example of implementation of funding mechanisms.In addition, data about financing animal health systems from Senegal was gathered through a questionnaire to the 3relevant authorities. Second, when focusing on community-based systems, a field research in Kenyan arid and semi-arid lands. was performed on animal health services. The gaps in the public health arena likely to influence the increase of zoonotic and emerging diseases occurrence are pointed out throughout the thesis.