DUBAI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has recently organised a national workshop in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean to address the “One Health” approach, an integrated, unifying tool for joint assessment and control of zoonotic diseases.
The two-day workshop discussed the concept of the “One Health” approach, which requires combining the efforts of multiple sectors involved in combating zoonotic diseases to achieve optimal health for both humans and animals while also protecting the environment by assessing the risks associated with such diseases to lessen and control their effects.
Chaired by Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Public Health Sector, the workshop was held in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the World Health Organisation (WHO) and targeted workers in the healthcare, environmental health, and animal health sectors. Several representatives of local health authorities were present.
The workshop shed light on the role played by the tripartite alliance “the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation” in promoting the One Health approach by coordinating local and global efforts to avoid the spread of infectious diseases.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Al Rand stated that the UAE’s health system is well-equipped to track, anticipate, and effectively address any disease and is also making the most of all available tools and resources to respond swiftly to pandemics. “This would not have been possible had it not been for the support of the wise leadership, which has been keen to develop policies and adopt best practices aimed at enhancing the community’s health and establishing a sustainable health system.”
He stressed the importance of bolstering cooperation among all parties concerned with community health and prevention to better track and control infectious diseases arising from animal sources.
Al Rand emphasised that the ministry, in cooperation with strategic partners, is looking forward to promoting the “One Health” approach and incorporating it into their strategies to efficiently assess common challenges, develop the necessary national plans, prepare for any potential risks and reduce their effects, taking into account the interaction between humans, animals and the environment.
Source: Emirates News Agency
