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The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is holding a workshop entitled "One Health: Past, Present and Future" today (September 27) and tomorrow at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre.
The One Health concept supported by international agencies such as the World Health Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is a worldwide strategy for expanding interdisciplinary collaboration and communication in all aspects of health care for humans, animals and the environment. At the two-day workshop, some 100 participants from Hong Kong and elsewhere will explore this holistic approach and share their experiences in addressing the challenges of a changing environment populated by interconnected animal, human and ecosystem interactions.
"Over the past decade or so, there has been heightened awareness of the connection between human health, animal health and ecosystems. Approximately 75 per cent of newly emerging human infectious diseases originate in animals. The majority of high-impact infectious diseases such as avian influenza and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) have arisen at the animal-human-environment interface," an AFCD spokesman said.
"The spirit behind One Health is mutual respect and communication across professions. We look for added value and synergy through surveillance, outbreak response and data sharing. This is an important step toward improving health outcomes incorporating human and animal health policies in all relevant sectors," the spokesman added.
He said the workshop provides a good opportunity for medical professionals, veterinarians and other scientific health and environmental professionals to get together to exchange views on an integrated strategy for improved public health based on One Health principles.
Eight keynote speakers will speak on various topics such as One Health approaches to prevent and control zoonoses, ecosystems and health, and insights from the animal-human interface on pandemic emergence. The speakers are:
- Professor Zhang Zhongqiu, Director General of the Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, People's Republic of China
- Dr Sun Yan, Director of the Department for Sci-Tech and International Cooperation, Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, People's Republic of China
- Dr Ronello C Abila, OIE Sub-regional Representative for South East Asia
- Dr William B Karesh, President of the OIE Working Group on Wildlife Diseases
- Professor Malik Peiris, Chair Professor of the Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong
- Dr Jeffrey Gilbert, Project Co-ordinator of the International Livestock Research Institute
- Professor Martyn Jeggo, Director of the Australian Animal Health Laboratory
- Professor John S Mackenzie, Curtin University, Australia
Ends/Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:01
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