Health Services Academy, in partnership with Pak One Health Alliance and the National Agricultural Research Council, held a two-day capacity-building training for the livestock and agrifood sector in Islamabad Capital Territory under the One Health Workforce Development project. The initiative aimed to fortify practical skills at the frontline and improve coordinated readiness for outbreaks through a One Health approach.
Prof. Dr. Shahzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor of Health Services Academy, told participants that pandemics and disease outbreaks often arise at the human–animal–environment interface and that an integrated One Health strategy is essential for early detection, prevention and a coordinated response. “Outbreak response cannot be achieved in isolation,” he said, stressing collaboration across human health, livestock, agriculture and environmental sectors as the foundation of national health security.
The training convened veterinary officers, field assistants and technical staff from the Livestock Department at the ICT level, all of whom carry frontline responsibilities for disease reporting, vaccination, surveillance and on-the-ground response. Their role in detecting and containing outbreaks before they escalate is central to strengthening local resilience.
Prof. Dr. Tariq Mahmood Ali, National Coordinator for One Health, outlined the One Health Workforce Development project and noted that nearly 70% of emerging human infectious diseases originate from animals. He emphasised that building capacity among livestock and agrifood professionals is critical to establishing an effective early warning and response system. “A trained workforce and integrated surveillance mechanism are key to timely detection and containment of zoonotic threats,” he said.
The two-day programme explored major One Health challenges in Pakistan and covered the epidemiology of infectious diseases, fundamentals of disease transmission, infection prevention and control, rapid response team functioning, risk analysis and communication, emergency planning, and One Health surveillance and epidemic intelligence. Interactive sessions and group work were included to ensure practical understanding and direct field application.
Under the OHWD project, Health Services Academy has already trained roughly 100 professionals from multiple sectors, contributing to a more skilled and coordinated workforce for pandemic preparedness. The project aims to build district-level resilience across ICT and beyond by strengthening intersectoral coordination and integrated surveillance.
Organisers concluded by reaffirming that sustained investment in workforce development, surveillance integration and multisectoral collaboration is indispensable to safeguard Pakistan against future epidemics and pandemics and to operationalise the principles of One Health at the local level.
