Draft strategy for prevention of zoonotic diseases in Azerbaijan presented at COP29

A draft national strategy for preventing and strengthening control of zoonotic diseases in Azerbaijan was presented within COP29, along with expected outcomes, Report informs.

The presentation was conducted by Galib Abdulaliyev, head of the Animal Health and Biological Safety Department of the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan (FSAA), at the "One Health Conference" during COP29.

The "National Strategy for Prevention and Strengthening Control of Zoonotic Diseases in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025-2030 Using the One Health Concept" includes several objectives. One of the main challenges is improving the country's preparedness for zoonotic pandemics, strengthening risk-based control at all stages of the food chain, and implementing the unified concept of "People-Animals-Environment" in combating zoonoses.

Additionally, the National Strategy's main challenges include the need for research on the biology, ecology, and epidemiology of disease agents and practical application of findings, the importance of creating a multi-sectoral and integrated database for epidemiological and ecological studies, and addressing antimicrobial resistance issues. Another goal is to establish a monitoring system for zoonotic diseases and a unified information platform for data exchange, as well as raising public awareness about zoonotic diseases.

The strategy aims to achieve three main outcomes: creating an adequate institutional system for monitoring zoonoses, minimizing the risk of zoonotic diseases for the population, and establishing a monitoring system for veterinary medicines used in the country.