Stakeholders at the "One Health Day" event. ©FAO

Addis Ababa - Stakeholders in Ethiopia commemorated the "One Health Day" with a call for stronger multi-sectoral collaboration and coordination in managing health threats.

Celebrated annually, the "One Health Day" is a global campaign that brings attention to the need for a One Health approach in addressing shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface.

Speaking at the  commemorative event that was held in Addis Ababa on January 18, 2022, H.E Dr. Fikru Regassa, State Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, said, "Managing global health risks is not possible in a solitary approach. It needs full cooperation and coordination of the animal, human, environmental, and health sectors." 

Over 80 delegates from the federal Ministries of Health, Agriculture; the Environment Protection Authority; and Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, and Regional Bureaus of Health, Agriculture, Livestock, Environment, and Wildlife attended the event. Other attendees represented United Nations agencies, development partners, and the media.

H.E. Dr. Lia Tadesse, Minister of the Ministry of Health, called for the establishment of a more robust One Health coordination platform/secretariat. "We need to leverage the multi-sectoral capacities we have developed through the One Health approach in the fight against zoonotic diseases and the COVID-19 pandemic in the country," she added.

Speaking on behalf of Dr. Boureima Sambo, the WHO Representative to Ethiopia, Dr. Indrajit Hazarika, the WHO Strategic Health Policy and Planning Coordinator, called for "an integrated, innovative, and institutionalized approach that breaks down the silos between the animal health, environmental health, and human health sectors."

Sean Jones, USAID Mission Director, said efforts to preserve and improve public health have become increasingly tied to our understanding of the threats from the human-animal-environment interface. “A sick camel in the Somali region, or a mouse in the United States, or a bat in China can pose a threat to us all, no matter where we live. We are all connected here: people, animals, and our shared environment. Pandemics, as we have all learned, do not require passports, “he added.

One Health approach in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s ministries of agriculture and health; and the Wildlife Conservation and the Environmental Protection Authorities, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that operationalized the One Health approach in the country in 2017. The MoU promotes multi-sectoral collaboration and coordination through the National One Health Steering Committee.

FAO’s support in advancing the One Health approach in Ethiopia

Speaking on behalf of Ms. Fatouma Seid, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in Ethiopia, Jacopo Damelio, the FAO Programme Officer, reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to supporting the operationalization of the National One Health platform. "FAO will continue to be an essential One Health link in the animal-human-environment interface. Through engagement with ministries of agriculture and veterinary services, the Organization will leverage this relationship to enhance One Health coordination and collaboration capacity, "he said.

FAO is one of the international technical advisor organizations for human and animal health, food, and agriculture, along with the WHO and the World Organization for Animal Health. The three organizations have affirmed their commitment to providing multi-sectoral, collaborative leadership in addressing health challenges, recognizing that human health, animal health, and the environment are interconnected.

The Organization’s work on the One Health approach in Ethiopia also includes strengthening the capacities of the animal health sector to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance. FAO also supports the government of Ethiopia in developing and implementing effective joint One Health strategies and mechanisms.

Contact

Rachel Nandelenga

Communications Consultant

FAO Ethiopia

[email protected]