The World Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) believes that the most effective way of preventing COVID-19-like viruses is to ensure good veterinary governance.
Jocelyn Brown Hall, FOA deputy regional representative for Africa, during an ongoing online conference, “Africa Europe Days’’ on Friday said timely respond to animal disease and initiate control over food processing cannot be over emphasised.
“Significant share of human diseases are caused by animal diseases. If we miss this opportunity to address animal health and animal production systems, then what we would learn from the crisis?
“FAO strongly recommends the holistic One Health approach. It is a transdisciplinary approach working to achieve optimal health outcomes through preventive and control strategies.
“Regulations for the slaughterhouses and how they process the product, how consumers cook, how we deal with the traditional diet.’’
According to FAO’s representative, the One Health approach would be at the center of debate at the upcoming 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.
The organisers said the conference would be taking place from December 2-9 ahead of the Africa-EU Leaders’ Meeting.
It said the conference would gather the heads of state on December 9, and in the lead-up to what would be a landmark year for Africa-Europe relations. (Sputnik/NAN)
