The joint initiatives between IOM and FAO are paramount for the One Health approach. — Photo courtesy of the IOM

HÀ NỘI — The Government of Japan has announced a US$1.5 million contribution to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to support the Government of Việt Nam.

The funding will be used to achieve SDG Target 3.8D, particularly in the area of early warning, risk reduction, and management of national and global health risks.

The funding will strengthen One Health, which is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

Participants discussed progress on pandemic preparedness and response at both Việt Nam and Cambodia. — Photo courtesy of the IOM

Recognising that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent, the initiative will increase capacity in the border provinces of Hà Giang, Hà Tĩnh, Đồng Tháp and An Giang.

This will allow health threats to be addressed holistically with experts from multiple departments of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment working together.

The project will raise awareness among cross-border communities about public health risks, case reporting, and self-protection. Approximately two million residents in four provinces will benefit from outreach events, and capacity building for health and animal health officials, led by IOM. 

The health of humans, animals, and ecosystems is interconnected, posing risks for spreading infectious diseases, as highlighted by the recent H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Việt Nam and Cambodia.

Approximately two million residents in four provinces will benefit from outreach events, and capacity building for health and animal health officials, led by IOM. — Photo courtesy of the IOM

“I am proud to launch the holistic collaboration between experts from Japan and Việt Nam, along with several UN agencies including IOM, FAO and WHO," said ITO Naoki, Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam.

"I am confident that we have a significant opportunity to promote the health of people in Việt Nam, foster multi-sectoral partnerships, and build a healthier future for all," he said.

The project will form a One Health taskforce with representatives from health, animal, plant, border guard, and environment departments, as well as district authorities in each project province, through comprehensive and multi-sectoral assessments.

It will build capacity for 80 One Health taskforce members and 240 health professionals to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies through simulation exercises on human outbreaks of avian influenza and rabies in the four project provinces and accelerate disease detection utilising portable diagnostic real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines.

Additionally, the project will strengthen bilateral coordination for public health preparedness and response by facilitating dialogue between Việt Nam and neighbouring countries, such as Cambodia and Lao PDR, with participation from multi-sectoral actors to discuss outbreak responses and contingency plans along the border.

The project will form a One Health taskforce with representatives from health, animal, plant, border guard, and environment departments, as well as district authorities in each project. — Photo courtesy of the IOM

"As a close partner of the Ministry of Health, IOM supports the Government of Việt Nam in building sustainable and mobility-sensitive health systems integrated with a human mobility perspective," said Kendra Rinas, Chief of Mission of IOM Việt Nam.

"Preparedness for and response to health threats must be multi-sectoral and responsive to mobility and cross-border dynamics. Applying the One Health approach will mitigate the cross-border transmission of infectious diseases and protect the health and well-being of two million residents in four project provinces," she added.

Dr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Việt Nam, said, “FAO has been collaborating with the government of Việt Nam to promote One Health approach as part of agrifood system transformation for the health of people, animals, plants and the environment. We must adopt a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach, collaborating with both human and animal health sectors in Việt Nam and neighboring countries to effectively prepare for and respond to health threats along the border.”

“Thanks to the support from the Government of Japan, we are building on the animal disease prevention, detection, and control capacities developed previously, and enhancing collaboration with the public health sector to apply these capabilities in border areas,” he added. — VNS