Entering its second year of implementation, the GHSP, which was kicked off in June 2021, held its first project steering committee in hybrid mode, according to a release issued by FAO Indonesia and received here on Friday.
The meeting brought together senior-level officials from relevant line Indonesian ministries and governmental bodies along with international development partners to fortify multi-sectoral collaboration for policy development in the health sector.
"The world needs to be better prepared for new and re-emerging infectious diseases by promoting the one health approach that prioritizes collaboration among human, animal and environmental health sectors," Subagyono noted in his opening remarks.
The ministry's secretary general further added that the spirit of collaboration lies at the very core of Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency that also focuses on facilitating stronger post-pandemic global recovery.
Acting as co-chair of the Steering Committee, Rajendra Aryal, the FAO representative in Indonesia and Timor Leste reiterated the centrality of the global health architecture in the G20 agenda.
"The FAO has been working very closely with the Government of Indonesia and has always been ready to provide the required technical support to the One Health approach," Aryal emphasized.
For the past 16 years, the FAO, through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), has partnered with the Government of Indonesia to bolster the local animal health capacity, delivered training and technical assistance on disease surveillance, conducted laboratory diagnostics, carried out outbreak investigation, and ensured preparedness and response as well as Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) control by applying the "One Health" approach.
"We hope this project would be able to further strengthen collaboration between the relevant line ministries and government bodies and achieve our common strategic goals both nationally and internationally," according to Director General of Livestock and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Nasrullah stated.
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In co-leading the meeting, Nasrullah invited the senior officials to collaboratively support the project on a daily basis to build resilient health and agri-food systems for the people.
The GHSP project will run until 2024 and focus on technical assistance in four key areas: multi-sectoral collaboration and policy development; surveillance, laboratory, and risk management; and disease preparedness and response with a One Health focus, and national poultry health and control of antimicrobial resistance.
While it will be mainly implemented by the FAO and Ministry of Agriculture, the project will also receive close technical guidance from other relevant line ministries and government bodies, such as the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of National Development Planning and National Agency for Disaster Management.
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Reporter: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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