Experts push 'One Health' framework

Say integrated governance is vital to tackling pandemics and health threats

ISLAMABAD:

Experts have called for strong regulatory mechanisms to operationalise the One Health approach in Pakistan.

The Health Services Academy (HSA), in collaboration with the Pakistan One Health Alliance (POHA), on Monday inaugurated a two-day consultative workshop titled "One Health Joint Action Planning and Regulatory Mechanism for ICT – Islamabad as a Model District" at the COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad.

The workshop brought together policymakers, public health experts, development partners, and representatives from key government institutions to develop an integrated framework for addressing emerging health threats through the One Health approach.

The inaugural session was chaired by Prof Dr Ramesh Kumar, Dean of Public Health at the Health Services Academy. Addressing participants, he said the One Health approach is no longer a choice but a necessity for safeguarding human, animal, and environmental health.

He stressed the importance of establishing a sustainable coordination mechanism among all relevant sectors and expressed confidence that the workshop would produce a practical framework for multisectoral collaboration in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

The workshop was attended by senior officials and experts, including the Director General (Health) AJK, the Dean of Public Health at Ayub Medical College, and representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), National Institute of Health (NIH), District Health Office (DHO-ICT), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Wildlife Department, and relevant federal ministries. Experts from academia, public health, livestock, environmental, and development sectors also participated in the consultation.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Dr Tariq Mahmood Ali, National Coordinator of the One Health Workforce Development (OHWD) Project, highlighted the progress achieved under the project and stressed the need to develop a competent and resilient One Health workforce capable of responding effectively to pandemics, zoonotic diseases and other public health emergencies.