How to sustainably balance and optimize the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment was key to a meeting on strengthening health security in Kosovo* by implementing and customizing the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA).
The OH JPA was designed by 4 global organizations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to address health threats arising from the imbalance between human activities and increased stress on our ecosystems. The 4 organizations, known as the Quadripartite organizations, include the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), WHO, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The plan also includes input from 22 WHO Member States and members of the One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP).
The 5-year OH JPA provides urgent global governance as the world faces increased risks of infectious diseases and pandemics, as well as water, air and soil pollution. It aims to create sustainable and holistic solutions to better manage threats to the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment and to prevent potential future pandemics.
At the 2-day workshop in Pristina, 42 public health officials, including experts from the human and animal health sectors and emergency management, looked at ways to adapt the OH JPA to local circumstances. The workshop was organized by WHO with financial support from the European Union (EU).
Dr Dafina Gexha-Bunjaku, Deputy Minister of Health of Kosovo*, stated that, “Investing in One Health is not just a matter of public health, but a moral imperative. It is about safeguarding the health and well-being of current and future generations, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring the sustainability of our planet.”
The One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA)
The meeting participants were introduced to the OH JPA Implementation Guide, which was developed in 2023 by the Quadripartite to provide countries with guidance on how to adopt and adapt the OH JPA to the national level. The Guide is designed to be applicable to all countries, regardless of their progress on One Health implementation.
Transdisciplinarity, a diversity of stakeholders, and inclusivity are guiding principles.
Ms Merita Berisha, a Specialist with the National Institute of Public Health, noted, “Strengthening our capacities for a One Health approach helps identify opportunities to integrate it into strategic planning at every stage to prevent health threats resulting from human-animal-environment interactions, and contribute to local and global health security.”
The OH JPA shapes a systems approach while identifying and addressing the deeper causes that have led to past critical risks to global health. It outlines a set of activities to drive the change and transformation required to mitigate the impact of current and future health challenges at global, regional and country levels.
“Today’s event signals Kosovo’s* commitment to work holistically and embed a One Health approach into its policy development and implementation,” said Oleksandr Martynenko, Liaison Officer at the WHO Pristina Office. He stressed that WHO would continue supporting and guiding its partners in Kosovo* to augment intricate relationships and the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
Although One Health is not a new concept, it is increasingly recognized as the optimal approach to promote health and well-being. This event served as an opportunity for key stakeholders across sectors to discuss how to implement the One Health approach with a view to generating co-benefits for all.
Peter Sousa Hoejskov, Technical Officer for Food Safety & Zoonotic Diseases at WHO/Europe, explained that recommendations from the workshop would be taken forward to the draft “Action plan for health security”, which will guide work on strengthening the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) core capacities in Kosovo*. The IHR represents a legally binding agreement of 196 countries to build the capability to detect and report potential public health emergencies worldwide.
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* All references to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of UNSCR 1244 (1999).