ISLAMABAD: The Health Services Academy (HSA) successfully convened the Plenary Session on “One Health Approach and the Way Forward” during the 15th International Public Health Conference, bringing together leading national and global experts who shared critical insights on pandemic readiness, workforce development, and multisectoral coordination.
The session featured prominent speakers from across the globe. Dr. Tariq Ali, National Coordinator One Health, highlighted the urgent need for workforce development and pandemic preparedness, stressing unified coordination among stakeholders and partners to ensure effective implementation of the One Health approach.
Elisabeth Hesse, Program Director, US CDC, shared global insights on One Health and underlined the importance of robust data sharing systems, clear threshold values, and stronger SOPs, TORs, and workforce capacity to support evidence-based decision-making.
From the UK Health Security Agency, Dr. Sartaj, UKHSA Regional Lead (IHRS-EMR), discussed IHR implementation and stated that One Health is both a science and an art, extending beyond technical solutions and requiring holistic, collaborative strategies.
Dr. Shabina Raza, Country Director, Nutrition International, emphasized health system strengthening to prevent malnutrition, while also highlighting the humanitarian–development nexus to ensure continuity of care in vulnerable communities.
Representing UNICEF, Gunter Bussery focused on multisectoral engagement and adoption of global best practices to accelerate One Health implementation in Pakistan.
Dr. Mursalin, CEO POHA, presented governance frameworks and international best practices for effective One Health and AMR coordination at the national level.
In his closing remarks, Vice Chancellor Dr. Shahzad Ali Khan called for enhanced response capacity, workforce training across all sectors, and unified action to strengthen Pakistan’s resilience and global health security. He appreciated the speakers’ contributions and reaffirmed HSA’s commitment to advancing the One Health agenda.
