Advancing the implementation of One Health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

1. 1
Advancing the
implementation of One
Health in the Eastern
Mediterranean Region
Regional Manager, Health Emergency Preparedness & IHR
Dr Dalia Samhouri

2. 2
Defining One Health
Recognizes linkages between
humans, domestic and wild animals,
plants and the environment
Aims to sustainably balance and
optimize their health
Mobilizes multiple sectors,
disciplines and communities to
work together to foster well-being
and tackle threats at the interface

3. 3
An evolving concept…
Emerging and re-emerging
zoonotic diseases
Neglected tropical
diseases
Endemic zoonotic
diseases
Food insecurity and food
and water safety
Travel, migration, globalization, urbanization, human activities, climate
change and inadequate public health infrastructure are expanding risk factors
Antimicrobial
resistance
Environmental health
risks

4. 4
Prioritizing zoonoses, AMR and food safety
 > 22 million COVID-19 cases
 Monkeypox in non-endemic countries
 Outbreaks of MERS, CCHF, dengue
 70% of bloodstream infections
caused by CRA
 40% of countries have national IPC
guidelines
 > 100 million illnesses from foodborne
diseases annually and 40 000 deaths
 Diarrhoeal diseases responsible for
70% of burden
 Loss of human lives
 Disruption of essential services
 Economic impact
 Social impact (poverty,
violence, school dropout, SDGs)

5. 5
Increasing global attention
2004
Official
launching of
One Health
2019
Emergence
of SARS
CoV-2
2021
UNEP joined
the Tripartite
(WHO, FAO,
WOAH)
2022
Quadripartite
developed One
Health Joint
Plan of Action
(2022–2026)
2022
One Health is
considered by the
Intergovernmental
Negotiating Body

6. 6
Ongoing One Health implementation but
not comprehensive!
JEE and NAPHS development
in 19 countries
IHR-PVS bridging workshops
in Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan
Joint Risk Assessment
Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Libya,
Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates
Multisectoral coordination
Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan
Sudan, Somalia
Disease prioritization
Egypt, Jordan, Sudan
One Health operational plan
Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Sudan

7. 7
Progress but also gaps: regional survey (17/22)
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
Identifed resources
Workforce development
Joint Risk Assessment
One Health Plan
Risk Communication
Leadership & Governance
Surveillance
Prioritized threats
Legal Framework
Investigation and Response
Number of countries
One Health capacities
Yes Partial No
Joint investigation and response
dominates (14)
Progress made on prioritized
threats, plans, surveillance, RCCE
Legal framework, dedicated
resources, risk assessment,
workforce need further
improvement

8. 8
Regional framework to advance
One Health 2022-2027
 Aligned with One Health Joint Plan of Action
 Builds on assessments and reviews
 Followed country and expert consultations
 Benefited from lessons learned during COVID-19 pandemic
 Political commitment and enabling environment
 Whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach
 Community-centred approach
 Partnership (Quadripartite and other stakeholders)

9. 9
Five strategic objectives
One Health
Regional
operational
framework
2022-2027
Establish governance and
leadership
 Review/update legislation
 Review and align One Health
strategies
 Identify financial needs
Foster multisectoral
coordination
 Review and update multisectoral
coordination
 Develop terms of reference
 Assign roles and responsibilities
Strengthen early warning and
information sharing
 Assess and integrate surveillance
systems
 Build capacities for forecasting
 Utilize digital platforms for
information sharing
Enhance preparedness and
response
 Map and integrate programmes
 Develop contingency plans
 Strengthen IPC programmes and
WASH
Develop a skilled
multidisciplinary workforce
 Map existing human resources for One Health
 Develop joint education & training programmes
 Establish an incentive system to attract public health graduates
1
3 4
2
5

10. 10
How to move forward?
Conduct a One
Health risk
assessment
2
Develop a
national One
Health plan
3
Set up a
monitoring and
evaluation
mechanism
4
Advocate for
One Health and
its
implementation
5
Establish a
multisectoral
structure
1

11. 11
To facilitate implementation…
At regional level
One Health Executive Board
 Regional heads of Quadripartite organizations
 Leadership, political engagement, overall guidance
One Health Technical Group
 Secretariate, technical support, resource mobilization
At country level
 Multiagency working group
 Coordination with line ministries and sectors
 Development and implementation of national plans

12. The Regional Committee is invited to review the
paper and endorse the proposed operational One
Health framework and related resolution for
accelerating the implementation of One Health in
the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Dr Dalia Samhouri
Regional Manager | Emergency Preparedness and International Health
Regulations
samhourid@who.int

13. 13
Thank you!
Thank you – Merci – ‫شكرا‬