Agriculture Ministry, FAO tackle threats at ‘human-animal-environment interface’

AMMAN — The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Jordan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture on Sunday launched a three-day workshop to prevent “zoonotic diseases”, or diseases that can be passed between animals and people.

The workshop, titled “Surveillance and Information Sharing Operational Tool - SISOT”, refers to a tool developed by the Tripartite — FAO, World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) — to support national authorities in their efforts to establish and strengthen coordinated, multi-sectoral surveillance and information sharing for “zoonotic diseases”. 

Jordan has agreed to conduct a pilot of the SISOT, which will guide and support the activities by national authorities to strengthen coordinated One Health surveillance and information sharing for zoonotic diseases in Jordan, according to a FAO statement. 

Stakeholders and government partners attended the workshop.

FAO Representative in Jordan Nabil Assaf said: “Animal health is fully linked to food security and nutrition and to achieving sustainable development goals, especially those related to improving production, eradicating poverty and hunger and ensuring a healthy life for all. It is also targeted by FAO, where its work in the field of animal health is part of the integrated approach to One Health which focuses on managing risks at the level of interaction between animals, humans and plants.”

On behalf of Agriculture Khalid Hneifat, Assistant Secretary General for Livestock Ali Abu Nukta said: “The ministry is currently in the process of preparing a database related to the application of the monitoring and information sharing tool in a coordinated system from various health authorities in order to exchange information on common diseases, strategies and policies for their control and prevention.”

Following the SISOT sensitisation meeting in April 2021, the ministries in Jordan with shared responsibility for zoonotic disease surveillance, stated their commitment to participate in the SIS OT pilot in Jordan, which is supported by a grant from the US government, the statement said. 

The SISOT activities have been initiated in Jordan, to include establishing the national Planning Team and Working Group, weekly meetings  with the Tripartite team leading the pilot and pre-workshop preparation with the Planning team to complete the SISOT information gathering and assessment process. 

This workshop will provide recommendations for the national development plan and roadmap to strengthen the coordinated surveillance and information sharing for zoonotic diseases in Jordan, which will enable coordinated One Health, multi-sectoral surveillance for zoonotic diseases and other threats at the human-animal-environment interface.