LUSAKA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A regional conference to advance the One Health agenda in East and Southern Africa opened Thursday in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, with delegates calling for stronger, coordinated action to integrate the approach into national health systems.
The two-day Regional One Health Conference, under the theme "Driving Coordinated Regional Action for One Health," has brought together about 300 experts, policymakers, development partners, and stakeholders from the human, animal, environmental, and food systems sectors, to enhance collaboration, share best practices, and advance joint action to protect the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.
Mary Mbole-Kariuki, a technology and innovations expert at the African Union Inter-African Bureau of Animal Resources, said the rise of diseases transmitted from animals to humans, up 63 percent in the past decade, underscores the need for comprehensive, multisectoral interventions. She warned that rapid population growth could further accelerate antimicrobial resistance.
Calling for decisive action, Yewande Alimi, antimicrobial resistance program coordinator at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the One Health approach "is no longer a technical suggestion, but the way forward" as pandemics, food insecurity, and climate pressures strain resilience across the region.
Zambian Minister of Health Elijah Muchima said One Health is "a strategic imperative," stressing that the health of people is inseparable from the health of animals and ecosystems. The conference, he said, comes as Africa confronts increasingly complex and cross-border health threats, requiring countries to work collectively to prevent crises before they spread.
Muchima expressed hope that the conference will help countries share practical experiences, align national and regional priorities, and strengthen cross-border surveillance, early warning systems, and information sharing. ■