South Sudan launches One Health Platform to mitigate disease threats
The national ministry of health launched and formalized One-Health Multisector Coordination Mechanism (MCM) to mitigate any health crisis.
The platform would help in regard to the inclusive process to mitigate any health crisis in the country.
The South Sudan one health Platform aims to promote a multisectoral, one-health approach to establish one health mechanism at the national and sub-national levels.
Speaking at the event yesterday, Yolanda Wel Deng, national Minister of Health, said the One Health Stop Coordination platform would aid in the development of an action plan that will address technical elements to strengthen a one-health mechanism.
“This one health stop Coordination platform is going to us (Country) in regard to inclusive process to mitigate any health crisis in the country because there is no one health issues that is in isolation,” Yolanda explained
On the 7 March, the Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of cholera in Malakal, Upper Nile State.
She noted that the Cholera outbreak in Upper Nile State was one example that the three line ministries need to work together and get one strategy to mitigate a future crisis
“This platform is going to a coordination body that is going to help us utilize the few resources we have from the donors and the resources that we have like the government to be utilized properly,” Yolanda stated.
The One-Health Platform also helps in gathering information from revenant sectors about using a multisectoral, one approach to address Zoonotic diseases and other health challenges
Dr.Martin Elia Lomuro, Minister of Cabinet Affairs stated that the government recognizes the importance of the One Stop Platform and the need for government support to provide maximum support to the platform.
“We (government) can do what is necessary to sure the health of our people, our environment and the health of our animals both wild and domestic,” he stated
Dr Lomuro said the security of South Sudan is not just physical security it is about health security which is one of the president’s priorities in the country
South Sudan is bordered on the north by Sudan, on the east by Ethiopia, on the south by Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and on the west by the Central African Republic.
He said there are approximately 55 cross-sections that are not properly managed, and yet individuals from different countries bring in various diseases that cross in unchecked animals, and people and the entire situation would be porous.
“We have to consider this approach (One Stop Health Platform) as the best for us because it brings in all of us who are concerned with issues of health insecurity within our ecosystem.”
“Those concerned with the environment, they understand that there are many diseases within our environment and those who are specialist regiment sector also understands that there a lot of diseases in that sector,” Dr Lomuro said.
He stressed that the principles of health experts getting together to discuss issues of health insecurity in their specific field make it easier and more informative.
The cabinet minister confirmed that the One Stop Health Platform processes have the highest support from the political leaders.
The world health Organization Dr Kwuakuan DM Yealue stressed the importance of having One Health Platform.
“This is to coordinate one health approach to address zoonotic disease and other health shared health concerns at the human animal and the environmental face,” Yealue said.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach to achieving optimal health outcomes by recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
