Montenegro is committed to strengthening cooperation between the health, veterinary and environmental protection sectors, it was announced at the Regional Conference on "One Health", hosted by the Institute for Public Health (IJZ).
As announced by IJZ, "One Health" represents a holistic approach to understanding and solving health-related issues, which recognizes the inextricable link between the health of people, animals, plants and the environment.
"The basic idea of this concept is that these different aspects of health are interconnected and that changes in one of these domains can affect health in others," the statement said.
The conference, which was organized in Bečići, was attended by representatives of the Institute for Public Health of Vojvodina and North Macedonia, the Institute for Health and Food Safety in Zenica and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Skopje.
Participants in the conference included representatives of the Specialist Veterinary Laboratory, the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the WHO from Copenhagen and the Instituto Superiore di Sanita from Rome.
The State Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Vladimir Obradović, said at the opening of the conference that it represents an important step towards achieving an integral approach to health and nature protection, and pointed out that Montenegro is proud to be part of this global effort.
Obradović said that the Ministry of Health recognizes the concept of "One Health" as a key strategy for preserving and improving the health of the population, while simultaneously preserving nature and the environment.
That is why, as he stated, they are committed to strengthening the capacity of that approach and support the exchange of knowledge and experience between different sectors.
"Also, we encourage cooperation between scientific institutions, health experts, veterinary services and the environmental protection sector, in order to work together on the prevention and suppression of diseases that can affect people, animals and nature", said Obradović.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) office in Montenegro, Mina Brajović, recalled the connection between the health of humans, animals and the environment, and pointed out that insisting on the "One Health" approach is an opportunity, but also a necessity in the post-pandemic world.
"If we bear in mind that 60 percent of infections in the human population are of animal origin, and that three out of five new diseases every year are of animal origin, in the context of ubiquitous climate change, intensive global traffic and demographic processes, coordination, multi-sector cooperation and broad partnerships are imperative", stated Brajović.
As she said, investing in integrated surveillance and a holistic, integrated health system, as well as capacities for food safety, control of antimicrobial resistance, control of zoonotic epidemics, vector-borne diseases - is investing in a safe and healthy future for everyone.
Director of IJZ Igor Galić said that the conference provides a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices with colleagues from the region and around the world.
According to him, more effective strategies for dealing with pandemics, protecting the environment and improving the health of all citizens can be developed through dialogue and cooperation.
Galić said that, as the director of the IJZ, he is proud of their commitment to the principle of "One Health".
As he stated, that approach, which focuses on interconnected aspects of human, animal and environmental health, has become necessary in today's time.
"United in the principle of "One Health", we can achieve a lot. Together we can build a more sustainable, healthier and safer society for all of us and for future generations," said Galić.
The IJZ said that human and animal health are inextricably linked, and that diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans are often caused by changes in the way people interact with nature and animals.
In addition, as they stated, the state of the environment has a huge impact on people's health, because air, water and soil pollution can cause serious diseases.
"Therefore, Montenegro has recognized the seriousness of the challenges we are facing and is committed to strengthening cooperation between the health, veterinary and environmental protection sectors," emphasized the IJZ.
According to them, the Government and institutions implement policies and measures aimed at improving public health and environmental protection.
"Which is reflected in efforts to control infectious diseases, monitor animal populations and preserve natural resources," the statement added.
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