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By JoyceMukucha
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has recently welcomed a $10 million contribution from the United States of America to its COVID-19 response efforts and to help counter other challenges that threaten human, animal and environmental health, including future pandemics.
The contribution from the United States will benefit countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East.
The announcment comes as COVID-19 cases in the Americas surpassed 100 million, while the Omicron variant has been reported in nearly 20 countries and territories, according to the regional office for the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to UN News, the Pan American Health Organization said cases continue to rise in North America, with the United States driving a 36 per cent increase in the past week, while parts of Central and South America showed declines.
In a statement, FAO pointed out that the funding will go a long way in supporting the UN agency’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme, part of its broader One Health programme .
“More specifically, the funding aims to help strengthen national and international One Health systems through enhanced multisectoral early warning, risk assessment and risk reduction, and the progressive management of emerging and endemic zoonotic and high impact animal and plant pests and diseases, including those with epidemic and pandemic potential,” the statement reads.
Expressing his gratitude to the U.S, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said a science-based One Health approach across agrifood systems was critical for early warning and prevention of zoonotic diseases.
“We thank the Government of the United States of America (USA) for its generous support to FAO’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Program and One Health Tripartite risk assessments at national levels,” said Dongyu.
FAO’s Response and Recovery Programme which was launched in mid 2020 is a hub of technical knowledge, One Health which helps safeguard human, animal, plant and environmental health right through the food value chain, from production to consumption and waste management.
With its expertise in implementing the One Health approach, FAO supports countries in strengthening integrated surveillance, early warning and information systems; developing better biosecurity for pest and disease management.
It is also aimed at reducing risks through multisectoral partnership for preparedness, anticipatory action and response; enhancing capacities in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) control; and more broadly, shoring up One Health systems at national, regional and global level.
FAO collaborates with WHO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in the FAO-OIE-WHO Tripartite and expands its collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme to mainstream and support One Health implementation globally.