ISLAMABAD, Apr 07 (APP):Federal Secretary, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, on Tuesday called for urgent strengthening of Pakistan’s One Health system, warning that future pandemics cannot be prevented without coordinated action across human, animal and environmental sectors. He was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day national training on pandemic preparedness under the One Health approach, organized by the Health Services Academy (HSA) at …
Strengthening One Health system crucial to prevent future pandemics: Federal Secretary
ISLAMABAD, Apr 07 (APP):Federal Secretary, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, on Tuesday called for urgent strengthening of Pakistan’s One Health system, warning that future pandemics cannot be prevented without coordinated action across human, animal and environmental sectors.
He was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day national training on pandemic preparedness under the One Health approach, organized by the Health Services Academy (HSA) at the COMSTECH Secretariat.
The federal secretary said recent global health emergencies had exposed systemic gaps in preparedness, adding that Pakistan must move beyond fragmented responses and invest in integrated surveillance, workforce development and institutional coordination.
“Pandemic preparedness is no longer a sectoral responsibility — it is a national priority requiring sustained collaboration,” he emphasized.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor HSA Prof. Dr Shahzad Ali Khan highlighted the importance of building institutional capacity and fostering evidence-based approaches to tackle emerging public health threats.
Providing a strategic overview, Prof. Dr Tariq Mahmood Ali, National Coordinator of the One Health Workforce Development and Coordination (OHWD) Project, termed the initiative a “transformational step toward national health security.”
He noted that Pakistan’s vulnerability is increasing due to climate change, rapid urbanization, and expanding human-animal interfaces, which are accelerating the emergence of infectious diseases.
Dr Tariq Mahmood Ali stressed that nearly 75 per cent of emerging infectious diseases originate from animals, underscoring the need for integrated surveillance systems and coordinated response mechanisms.
He said the programme aims to develop a skilled, multi-sectoral workforce capable of early detection, rapid response and effective outbreak management across all levels of the health system.
Highlighting environmental dimensions, Dr Muhammad Asif Sahibzada, Director General (Environment/Climate Change), observed that environmental degradation, poor waste management and climate variability are increasingly driving disease patterns in Pakistan, calling for stronger integration of environmental monitoring into public health planning.
Meanwhile, Dr S.M. Mursalin, Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan One Health Alliance (POHA), emphasized the need for systems thinking and cross-sector competencies, noting that siloed approaches have historically delayed outbreak response.
He said initiatives like this training are critical to building coordinated, field-ready response systems.
The two-day training brings together professionals from environmental sectors and focuses on zoonotic risks, vector ecology, climate-resilient health systems, surveillance, epidemic intelligence and risk communication.
Officials said the programme, which includes technical sessions, group work and assessments, is designed to create a cadre of trained professionals and trainers who will support nationwide scale-up of the One Health approach.
The workshop will conclude on April 8 with certificate distribution.
