Lesotho has taken significant steps to strengthen coordination between human, animal, and environmental health sectors through a three-day National Bridging Workshop held in Maseru District. The workshop, organized by the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Food Security, and Environment in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), aimed to enhance the country’s One Health approach. This initiative recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, noting that many emerging and endemic human diseases originate from animals, transmitted directly, via food, or through environmental pathways.
At the opening of the workshop, Deputy Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Ms. Matsoanelo Monyobi, highlighted the importance of breaking down sectoral silos to build a resilient and responsive health system. She emphasized that a unified approach across public health, animal health, and environmental sectors is critical to effectively address complex health challenges. Representing WHO, Dr. Sirak Hailu stressed the urgent need for integrated health approaches, citing recent outbreaks such as Ebola, novel coronaviruses, and pandemic influenza as reminders of the close link between human and animal health, and the gaps revealed during past crises.
FAO Representative Mohlophehi Maope reinforced the necessity of adopting a One Health approach, noting that the workshop facilitated tangible progress in building shared understanding, consensus, and a joint roadmap for collaboration across the animal-human-environment interface. Dr. Mookho Ntiea from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security highlighted that cross-sector collaboration strengthens systems and partnerships essential for community well-being. Participants, including District Environment Officer Sello Mabatla, expressed enthusiasm for the integrated approach, emphasizing that collaborative planning and joint action will enable more effective responses to health threats in Lesotho.
The workshop concluded with a consensus-driven roadmap prioritizing the top five activities to enhance coordination between animal health, human health, and environmental sectors. By aligning WHO’s International Health Regulations Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (IHR MEF) with WOAH’s Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway, Lesotho is laying a strong foundation for an integrated, proactive national health system. Funding support from the Pandemic Fund enabled this initiative, marking a key milestone in advancing multisectoral collaboration and operationalizing the One Health strategy in the country.
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