The nexus between animal health and public health, in its diverse eco-systems, is fully expressed in the concept of One Health, which emphasises the need for good governance among all sectors and actors involved, by preventing and mitigating the risks generated at the interface between people, animals and the environment.
It is in this light that world leaders are meeting over the over the next three days, to prioritise initiatives, and coordinate intra and inter-sectoral actions at the regional, sub-regional and national levels.
Ministers of Agriculture and Public Health, Noel Holder and Dr. George Norton respectively today, departed Guyana for the 17th Inter-American Ministerial meeting on Health and Agriculture in Asuncion, Paraguay from July 21-22, 2016.
Agriculture continues to provide an essential good for the health and welfare of people. Moreover, health impacts agriculture whenever people’s health and welfare are compromised. As such, the “One Health and Sustainable Development” forum will pave the way for agreements to be realised between member state countries to further fight poverty, and the promotion of socio-economic development opportunities for developing nations.
The main issues to be discussed at the meeting are grouped in the following thematic areas:
- Deliberation on the safety and nutritional quality for food and human consumption
- Prudent use of antimicrobials in health and agriculture for the containment of antimicrobial resistance
- The contribution of Veterinary Public Health to One Health and the Sustainable Development Goals
- Eradication of Food and Mouth disease in the Americas
It is expected that at the end of the meeting, guidelines and recommendations for the country’s governance among the health, agriculture and environment sectors for early warning, detection and risk management will be realised.
