Pandemic preparedness with a One Health Approach
COVID-19 emphasised the urgent need for pandemic preparedness and the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Managing global health risks requires full cooperation between the animal, environmental, and public health sectors, at the country, regional, and global levels. ‘One Health’ is an approach to bring these sectors together to create inclusive, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to these existential threats.
Regional collaboration is needed to develop prevention and control systems on a scale that single-country strategies are not able to achieve. The Governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan will develop a Regional One Health Framework for Action to protect food systems and prevent future pandemics in Central Asia.
The Nossal Institute has been appointed by the World Bank to work with these Central Asian Governments to help support development of the Regional One Health Framework for Action by conducting an economic analysis of One Health implementation in Central Asia.
Lead by Associate Professor Angus Campbell, the team will use new methods for national economic assessments to identify priority areas for pandemic preparedness, control and prevention of zoonoses (diseases that spread between animals and humans) and antimicrobial resistance, and food safety as national and regional priorities.
The project will be delivered mid-2023.