Namibia's Óne Health National Strategy' was launched in Windhoek.
The tripartite strategy is facilitated by the Ministries of Health and Social Services, Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, as well as Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, in partnership with the Africa CDC and others in academia and international cooperation.
Its aim is to strengthen collaboration and coordination in promoting healthier ecosystems, starting at the grassroots level.
The Tripartite One Health National Strategy considers implementation between the years 2024 and 2028, underpinned by a desire to attain the highest level of human, animal, and environmental health and well-being across a range of sectors.
In so doing, the strategy would contribute to a reduced disease burden and enhanced universal health coverage while ensuring food safety and food security.
At the same time, it would promote and enhance conservation of wildlife biodiversity and better rural livelihoods.
At the launch, Coordinator for Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Lul Riek, noted that priority areas in Namibia include controlling and eliminating zoonotic, neglected tropical, and vector-borne diseases.
"Namibia has unique health challenges, from zoonotic diseases to climate change, but Namibia also has a unique opportunity to address these challenges through this strong collaboration, innovation, and commitment to health."
The Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Carl Schlettwein, stated the importance of water to Namibia's development goals, stressing that the One Health Strategy should be considered a call to action rather than just a mere strategy document.
"From an agricultural point of view, I'm very aware of the fact that most food is produced by means of agricultural practices and production use, which is true both for crop production and for food production. We produce our food in factories, but we are producing it within the global community. If we produce food in factories, it will emit CO2, which has an impact on us , so we must not sit back and believe that this One Health Strategy is solving our problem."
Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula hailed the initiative as a significant step forward in the collective effort to ensure the health and well-being of humans, animals, and the natural environment.
"Zoonotic diseases that occur at the human-animal interface, such as rabies and foot-borne diseases, continue to have a major impact on health, livelihood, and economics. Many countries recognised the benefits of taking the One Health approach to dealing with national mechanisms, coordination, communication, and collaborations to respond to and address these public health issues."