The annual high-level One Health Partnership (OHP) Forum for Zoonotic Diseases in 2021-2025 period was organized on August 16, 2022, in Hanoi
The Forum welcomed 150 participants representing 90 national and international institutions, including all 32 signatories namely Three core Ministries and 29 national and international development partners; and 21 provinces/ municipalities across the country, and hundreds of online points joining the event.
The One Health Partnership Framework in 2021-2025 was signed on March 23, 2022, having admitted 32 official members. The National Master Plan (the Plan) for the OHP Framework for zoonosis, under the EU’s support, was approved by the 03 Ministries on March 21, 2022. Since its signing, over 50 programs and projects have been prepared and implemented to support realization of the Plan. All three Ministries highly appreciate the cooperation and companionship of national and international development partners under the OHP Framework.
The Forumhighlighted policies and priorities of the Government and the health - environment - agriculture inter-sectors in regards of OHP; opened a channel for stakeholders to voice their concerns, demands, recommendations as well as specific difficulties that require attention of the government to find appropriate solutions; it was also an opportunity for Government authorities to connect with international partners and social, civil, non-government organizations and private sectors, and esepcially, for the provinces/ municipalities to put forward their opinions.
MARD Vice Minister Phùng Đức Tiến underlined the working areas under the priority of the Party, Government authorities at all levels and partners: (1) Mitigation of pathogens spillover risks at human, animal, and ecosystem interfaces; (2) Enhancement of food safety governance, management and supervision of antibiotic use and prevention of antimicrobial resistance; (3) Recovery, reconstruction, and management of risks caused by emerging and re-emerging diseases; (4) Control and management of environmental factors that affect health of humans, animals and plants.
MOH said thatmost countries apply the socially inclusive approach in diseases control because diseases could leave impacts on all aspects of the society as much as people’s life, which meant that health sectors alone could not accomplish such mission. This was the One Health approach that Vietnam has successfully followed to control the highly virulent avian influenza A(H5N1), SARS and H1N1 pandemic in the early twenty first century.
All 3 Ministries affirmed thatOHP Framework in 2021-2025 period was administered in participatory management in which the key role players are the national and international partners, social, civil, non-government organizations, private sectors and they collaborate closely with Vietnamese government agencies. OHP activities were networked and coordinated by the OHP Secretariat to facilitate and in line with practical demands of Vietnam and the world situation in regards to OHP. All 3 Ministries take OHP coordination as a crucial and regular task. The Ministries committted to taking action, doing and learning from stakeholders so as to provide the best support to OHP activities.
On behalf of Development Partners,Mrs.Kristina Buende, Head of Cooperation, EU in Viet Nam, Mr. Micheal Olery, USAID tại Việt Nam… etc… and leader and representatives from WHO,WCS, WWF, private sectors and provincespledged their support and companionship to the Government of Vietnam in prevention and control of zoonotic diseases following One Health approach and in realization of the goal and objectives of the National Master Plan for the OHP Framework in 2021-2025 period;
The Forum reinstatedthecommitment for strengthening cooperation in prevention and management of zoonoses, and promoting the co-chairing role of MARD as the OHP focal-point. It was emphasized that the OHP Coordination Office would take lead in coordinating partners and stakeholders, providing support and recommendations to tackle difficulties in preparation and implementation of OHP activities, and projects so that OHP would efficiently achieve its objectives and targeted outcomes.
In the coming time, all parties expressed their will to comprehensively expedite activities in all OHP fields related to the interfaces between humans, animals, plants and the ecology, particularly contents regarding plant health in the OHP Framework in order to ensure inclusiveness. At the same time, development partners suggested to develop a multi-sectoral roadmap for policy and legal reform aimed at preventing and mitigating the risks of outbreaks of zoonotic diseases, especially those from wildlife supply chains.
The OHP Forum was a successful event, having direct participation of over 90 Vietnamese government agencies, national and international development partners, and hundreds of online connections from 21 provinces/ municipalities in Vietnam and the world. With attentive preparation by MARD, in collaboration and mutual agreement with the two co-chairing Ministries (MOH and MONRE), as well as close companionship and direct support of WCS, the Forum was held in a sincere and open atmosphere where many constructive remarks and statements were made for the success of the event.
