Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO) in Ethiopia Recognizes International One Health Day, 2017           

2 November 2017, Addis Ababa – FAO Ethiopia marks the International One Health Day 2017 by adding its voice to the national campaign that calls for a strong One Health partnership: Towards a Better Health for Humans, Animals, and the Ecosystem. 

FAO Ethiopia emphasizes the need for increased multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration to successfully address health threats and reduce risks of infectious diseases transmitted among, people and animals within urban, agricultural and natural ecosystems. 

“FAO has worked tirelessly to support the government of Ethiopia to ensure that infectious diseases do not have detrimental impacts on human lives, livelihoods and food security” said Dr. Scott Newman, Team Leader of the Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) within the FAO Ethiopia Representation  “Hence, I would like to call upon all Ethiopian One Health partners to support the national effort in creating a strong One Health platform that ensures increased participation and engagement of all One Health sectors” he urged.  

One Health is a global movement that recognizes the fact that the health of humans, livestock, wildlife and ecosystems are inextricably connected. People and animals live in the same ecosystems and share natural resources, the environment, food, air and water. If the ecosystem we live in is not biodiverse or is not providing optimal services, then our health and the health of other animals in that ecosystem will be affected.

At a global level, FAO continues to take a lead role in One Health: FAO collaborated with WHO and OIE to develop of a Strategic Framework for Reducing Risks of Infectious Diseases at the Animal-Human-Ecosystems Interface and the formal endorsement of the One Health approach in 2008.  Since then, FAO has been integrating One Health into its organizational culture, expanding its regional and local One Health partnerships and contributing to establishment of One Health infrastructure in many countries around the world.

Through its Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) program, FAO Ethiopia has been providing ongoing support to the government of Ethiopia in enhancing effective multi-sectoral surveillance, early detection, and response capacities for priority transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases of high public health impact in order to avert potential public health risks and economic impacts.  Working under the umbrella of One Health, FAO ECTAD is also supporting efforts that enable closer coordination and collaboration of One Health partners including the establishment of technical working groups for rabies and anthrax, supporting the One Health Steering Committee, and planning for a One Health Communication Network.

Let’s put all our efforts together to address One Health issues in Ethiopia at the human-animal-ecosystem interface!!!

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• FAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information, and helps developing countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all.

Contact: 

Feleseta Kassaye Woldtsadique, Risk Communication and One Health Outreach Coordinator

E-mail: [email protected], Tel. +251 911 651 083

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