Accompanying One Health in the prevention of zoonoses

Co-chairing the forum were Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development  Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Health Le Duc Luan, together with Ms. Aler Grubs,  Country Director of the United States Agency for International Development, and Ms. Martina Stephany, International Director of Four Paws International (FPI).

More than 100 delegates from 90 domestic and international agencies attended at the Forum, more than 20 provinces and cities nationwide and hundreds of online participants joined online

At the Forum, the three Ministries highlighted the results and achievements in implementing the tasks and objectives of the One Health Partnership Framework in 2024, the close coordination between the three co-chairing Ministries in key areas.

Accordingly, 2024 is the year marking the efforts of the environmental sector to integrate and implement tasks of managing environmental agents within the framework of the OH Partnership Framework by actively participating in and proposing environmental activities in the annual and quarterly mechanisms at the national and international level.

The close coordination between the MARD and the Ministry of Health in the prevention of zoonotic diseases includes institutionalizing OH activities through key tasks; managing emergency risks well; developing a roadmap to improve capacity to implement the World Health Regulations and veterinary capacity; jointly participating and contributing proposals to OH Technical Working Groups; and jointly submitting to the Government for successful approval of the Antimicrobial Resistance Prevention Strategy 2023-2030 with the full participation of the 3 co-chairing Ministries.

It is the first time that the international development partner who co-chairs the OH Working Group directly reports on the results of the Technical Working Groups' activities and proposes mechanisms, policies, and specific cooperation activities for each working area with the 2025 plan.

After nearly 20 years of operation, the OH Partnership Framework on zoonotic disease, chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has been constantly striving to improve the coordination and management of using One Health approach, participatory management, focusing on multi-sectoral coordination and multilateral cooperation. Therefore, the OHPF Vietnam has increasingly attracted stakeholders' attention, participation and companionship to proactively seek and participate in the mechanisms of the 5 Working Groups.

The Forum also creates opportunities for stakeholders to directly make recommendations, express their wishes, raise difficulties and problems that require policy intervention, and propose appropriate solutions; connect government agencies with international partners and civil, social, non-governmental, and private organizations, and especially with the participation and contribution of opinions from provinces and cities.

Speaking at the Forum, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien shared that in the context of the unpredictable fluctuations in the world economic and political situation, natural disasters, storms and floods are complicated and causing serious consequences, the agriculture, health and environment sectors in 2024 are all active and proactive in integrating OH programs and activities into the sector's strategies and actions to implement disease prevention and control to ensure health safety for people, livestock and the environment.

Ensuring food safety, disease prevention, and environmental treatment after natural disasters is also an urgent task, aiming to stabilize people's lives. This success not only demonstrates the resilience and determination of the entire political system but also demonstrates the close direction of the Government, the determination of line ministries, cross sectors and the outstanding efforts of localities, levels, sectors, the business community and the entire people of the country...

Mr. Le Duc Luan, Deputy Minister of Health commented that, currently, the process of deep globalization, increased trade, climate change, and strong urbanization have increased the interaction between humans - animals - ecosystems, which can change old pathogens and cause new pathogens to appear. The Ministry of Health thoroughly implements cooperation in the direction of One Health, and commits to continue to accompany, promote and implement more effective disease prevention activities in general and from animals to humans in particular.

All three co-chairing Ministries affirmed the  high commitment to One Health activities in Vietnam, continued improvement of multi-sectoral coordination, support in processes and procedures for activities, programs, projects and cooperation areas on OH with international and domestic partners; gratitude, recognition and high appreciation for the efforts from international and domestic partners who have been and are focusing resources to join hands with the Government of Vietnam in disease prevention, especially overcoming the consequences of Typhoon Yagi last September.

Ms. Aler Grubbs, Country Director of the US Agency for International Development co-chair of the Forum said:  “The United States Mission to Vietnam, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has supported Vietnam's One Health efforts since 2005. In total, USAID has contributed more than USD 155 million in the past 20 years of these efforts.

One Health is a core part of USAID program to prevent pandemics and emerging infectious disease threats, including antibiotic resistance. The United States and Vietnam are committed partners in addressing infectious disease threats, consistent with our shared priorities under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This partnership will become even stronger as the United States and Vietnam celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations next year”.

Representing the NGOs, co-chair of the Forum, Ms. Martina Stepheny, FPI International Director affirmed: As a standing international partner in for OH Companion Working Group, we are committed to supporting this WG towards improving companion animal welfare in Vietnam, as well as minimizing health risks to both animals and humans, especially specifically focusing on phasing out the dog and cat meat trade. The OH Partnership is an important forum for Vietnamese government agencies and partners to collaborate and address pressing issues, and jointly identify and implement solutions. We are proud to affirm that Vietnam is a country with an excellent OH coordination and implementation mechanism that all countries can learn from.

Other international partners are also highly committed to accompanying and supporting the Vietnamese Government in preventing zoonotic diseases using the One Health approach, implementing the tasks and objectives in the National Master Plan on One Health, period 2021-2025;

The conference reaffirmed the commitment to strengthen cooperation in the field of zoonotic disease prevention; and to strengthen the focal and leading role of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the OH Partnership Framework on zoonotic disease prevention, emphasizing the focal role of the OH Coordination Office in coordinating Partners and Stakeholders, supporting and recommending solutions to remove obstacles related to the preparation and implementation of OH activities and programs to effectively carry out the functions and objectives of the Partnership Framework.

With the active participation of over 90 agencies and departments of the Vietnamese Government and international and domestic development partners, 21 provinces and cities participating online, hundreds of other international connections; in the spirit of cooperation and construction, the careful preparation of the leading chair agency (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) together with the unity and active coordination of the two co-chair Ministries, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the active accompaniment and support in the preparation and organization process of international partners: EU, FAO; FPI.