BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 19. The event “Building Resilience in a Changing Climate: Azerbaijan's ‘One Health’ Approach for a Healthy Future” was held within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), Trend reports via Azerbaijan's Ministry of Health.
The event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Health and the Food Security Agency of Azerbaijan.
Addressing the event, Azerbaijani Health Minister Teymur Musayev noted that increasing resilience in a changing climate requires increased preparedness and the ability to recover from climate-related challenges.
“Multisectoral national strategies need to be developed to address climate change-related health problems in a timely and effective manner. These strategies should focus on protecting public health, ensuring health system adaptation, and minimizing risks associated with environmental shifts,” he noted.
According to the Minister, developing early warning systems to predict disease outbreaks and the resilience of health systems are critical to minimizing the effects of climate change.
“Strengthened surveillance programs are also essential to prevent the potential spread of climate-related diseases,” the minister said.
Moreover, it was noted that the importance of the One Health approach is to address global health issues that transcend individual disciplines, focusing on the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.
“Key issues such as emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food security, environmental hygiene, and biodiversity conservation emphasize the importance of adopting this holistic approach,” Musayev remarked.
In his speech, the Minister emphasized that Azerbaijan has made significant progress in the implementation of the One Health Concept through multi-sectoral cooperation, policy, practice, and education.
“One important step along this path under the International Health Regulations was the Joint External Evaluation covering 19 technical areas. In May 2023, through a consultative process involving a group of local experts and a cross-sectoral international assessment team, Azerbaijan's capacities were explored in 19 areas, including the health sector. Joint discussions and site visits resulted in consensus on the assessments and prioritized actions across technical areas to improve the implementation of the International Health Regulations and One Health and strengthen the resilience of Azerbaijan's health system in emergencies.
The Ministry of Health actively engages with other governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, as well as international organizations, to ensure effective coordination of efforts and support for national activities. In the face of unprecedented environmental challenges, prioritizing the One Health perspective is important. It recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, which is particularly important when considering the complex impacts of climate change that affect all aspects of our lives, from biodiversity to food security and health. Adopting a One Health approach provides a sustainable, holistic approach to health issues, promoting resilience to future global threats,” said the Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In their speeches, Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov, Chairman of the Health Committee of Azerbaijani Parliament Ahliman Amiraslanov, Chairman of AQTA Goshgar Tahmazli, Deputy Chairman of the Agency Zakiya Mustafayeva, Executive Director of TABIB Vugar Gurbanov, and others, noting the importance of COP29, emphasized that the global health community has an important role to play in responding to the effects of climate change and contributing to improving health security. It was brought to attention that climate change affects various aspects of life and is one of the most pressing issues of our time. In addition to direct impacts on ecosystems and weather patterns, climate change has far-reaching effects on human health. To mitigate the effects of climate change, it is advisable to use innovations, including advanced modeling, simulation, and artificial intelligence.
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