Al-Soqtari and Buhaibeh Emphasize the Implementation of the “One Health” Approach
At the "Operational Tool for Multi-Sectoral Coordination Mechanisms" Workshop,
SMA NEWS – ADEN THE CAPITAL
The workshop on the “Operational Tool for Multi-Sectoral Coordination Mechanisms for One Health” was launched in the capital, Aden.
The workshop aims to enhance cooperation and coordination between the various sectors concerned with human, animal, and environmental health by applying the “One Health” approach, which is a comprehensive framework for addressing common diseases and growing health threats.
During the opening of the workshop, Major General Salem Al-Soqtari, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Fisheries, explained in his address to the participants that our country is experiencing multiple crises, which makes it necessary to enhance cooperation between various ministries, especially in light of the growing health and environmental challenges.
He pointed out that this workshop comes within the framework of efforts to implement the “One Health” approach, which aims to enhance coordination between the health, agriculture, and environment sectors to combat common diseases and other threats. They arise at the intersection of humans, animals, and the environment.
The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries noted that our country has signed international agreements and treaties that strengthen the multi-sectoral “One Health” mechanism, sometimes known as the One Health Platform. These collaborative government platforms allow for the exchange of information and expertise between different ministries, contributing to improved responses to common diseases and promoting public health.
For his part, the Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Qasim Buhaibeh, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the Ministries of Health and Agriculture in combating common diseases, noting that reports indicate the presence of more than 200 types of diseases transmitted between humans and animals, which calls for concerted efforts to address them.
Buhaibeh added that the workshop serves as a platform for exchanging expertise and knowledge between different sectors, contributing to building an integrated health system capable of addressing growing health challenges.
Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the workshop organizers, expressed their thanks and appreciation to the relevant government agencies, expressing their hope that the workshop’s outcomes would serve as a roadmap for coordination between various government sectors.
The workshop opening was attended by a number of Undersecretaries of the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries, Health and Population, Water and Environment, Directors General, and a number of specialists.
