EGYPT – Egypt has unveiled its new five-year nationwide strategic framework on One Health to sustainably promote the health of humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
The strategic framework was co-created by Egypt’s Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Local Development, alongside the Egyptian Medicines Authority and the National Food Safety Authority.
It comes shortly after Egypt pledged to provide all means and mechanisms of support to help push towards activating the concept of one health during the two-week-long United Nations Climate Conference (COP27).
One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment including ecosystems are closely linked and interdependent.
In partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar has launched the ‘One Health National Strategic Framework (2023-2027)’.
This technical document will act as a joint roadmap for the adoption of a One Health approach between the Ministries of Health and Population, Agriculture and Land Reclamation, and Environment in Egypt.
During the launch event, Abdel Ghaffar said: “Activating the “One Health Approach” has become an urgent necessity at all national, regional, and global levels.”
He expressed his belief that the multi-institutional approach will ensure the provision of a healthy, safe, and dignified life for humans, along with preserving the health of animals and the environment.
The five-year plan aims for joint action across sectors at all levels to achieve better health outcomes that can effectively contribute to preventing, predicting, and responding to global health threats in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The programme will be implemented in 15 SADC countries in a bid to prevent the occurrence of the next pandemic through better preparedness and response by applying the One Health approach.
This move aligns with the common goal of the International Convention on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response, which the member states of the WHO agreed to draft to maintain global health security.
It is projected that the adoption of the One Health principle will significantly reduce the costs incurred in preventing epidemics, which is about US$30 billion per year.
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