The Health Ministry's Communication and Public Service Bureau, through its statement on Friday, reported that the ASEAN Summit from May 10 to May 11, 2023, had adopted the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on One Health Initiative.
The One Health Declaration is one of Indonesia's initiatives in the health sector as part of the ASEAN socio-cultural pillars' main priority.
The declaration is intended to strengthen the regional health architecture under the theme of Indonesia's chairmanship, "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth."
Indonesia, through the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration, has encouraged all ASEAN member countries to identify zoonotic pathogens that pose a threat to the health of humans, animals, and plants as well as the environment as the cause of future plague and pandemic.
This identification effort is used as a reference point for research and development as well as investment toward prevention, readiness, and response.
This declaration also strengthens commitment through network development, multisectoral collaboration, as well as coordination for the One Health Initiative.
Head of the Global Health Policy and Health Technology Center at the Ministry Bonanza Perwira Taihitu stated that the declaration also underlines the need for exchange of experience, learning, and advancement.
The involvement of citizens between countries in the ASEAN toward the execution of the One Health approach is also necessary.
Sustainability of the program necessitates adequate resources as well as support from the government, non-government entity, and international development partners.
"The formation of declaration had passed the intensive discussion stage and collaboration between humans, animal health, agriculture, forestry, environment and food in ASEAN country members," he noted.
Taihitu also deemed this to be important to explore bilateral and multilateral initiatives further.
Cooperation with international organizations is important to contribute to the One Health approach, both at the ASEAN and national level, including the efforts to ensure financing availability.
The declaration also issued a mandate, so that all health ministers in the ASEAN cooperate to increase accountability towards the health of animals, agriculture, forestry, environment and food and further coordination to implement the declaration.
The One Health Initiative proposal is driven by Indonesia's concern over the severe multidimensional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible impact of other communicable diseases due to zoonotic pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and climate change.
This served as Indonesia's basis to propose to strengthen health architecture in the ASEAN.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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