Egypt shares pioneering experience in ‘One Health’
Egypt’s participation in the “One Health Summit” in the French city of Lyon, aims to share the country’s pioneering experience in applying the “One Health” concept and to enhance international partnerships in this vital field.
The Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar made the remark to the April 5-7 summit where he is representing President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
In an exclusive statement to the Middle East News Agency (MENA) correspondent in France, the Minister said that Egypt’s presence at this major international summit also aims to ‘open up broader horizons for co-operation with countries and international organisations to tackle cross-border health threats, particularly in light of the growing challenges facing the world in the health sector.’
Egypt launched the National One Health Strategy in 2023, drawing on expertise accumulated over more than twenty years, and based on a deep understanding of the close interconnection between human, animal and environmental health, with the aim of achieving comprehensive prevention and an effective response to health risks, Abdel Ghaffar added.
According to the minister, global studies confirm that around 60 per cent of diseases affecting humans are of animal origin, whilst more than 70 per cent of infectious diseases are transmitted via animals or vectors such as mosquitoes, which highlights the urgent need for integrated coordination between the public health, veterinary, agricultural and environmental sectors.
He noted that food safety and agricultural production practices represent a crucial element of the One Health system, warning that unsound practices such as the overuse of pesticides and antibiotics could lead to serious and long-term health consequences, let alone the impact of climate change.
Abdel Ghaffar emphasised that this interdependence requires ongoing institutional coordination between the relevant authorities in the state, noting that Egypt’s national strategy defined clear and integrated roles for each sector to ensure early prevention and limit the spread of diseases.
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most prominent challenges on the summit’s agenda, the minister said, referring to it as one of the most serious future health threats, given the expected rise in mortality rates resulting from the irresponsible use of antibiotics in humans and animals.
During his participation in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the summit, the minister outlined Egypt’s successful experience in tackling this phenomenon through integrated national policies and effective public awareness programmes.
This approach has received widespread praise from the World Health Organisation and a number of international partners, he noted.
Concluding the statements to MENA, the minister emphasised that health issues are no longer a purely domestic matter, but have become an essential part of the global security system. He stressed Egypt’s commitment to supporting international coordination and solidarity through its active participation in various international forums.
