Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture , Marine Resources and Cooperatives in Antigua Ashton Stanley, says that Ministry will participate in the One Health, One Caribbean, One Love programme with a focus on impacting the agriculture, public health and environment sectors is a new project in which St. Kitts-Nevis will be involved.
The project which is expected to last three months and was launched on March 1st 2014, involves objectives which include programmes to increase food security, animal health and production in the region.
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) in collaboration with the European Union Cooperation Program in Science and Technology are the contracting authorities providing an estimated contribution of €1,164,424 for the programme.
“We will participate in and look at promoting, establishing and strengthening a “One Health” approach to zoonotic or contagious diseases spread between animals and humans, as well as the observation, diagnosis and response to food-borne diseases., “ said Stanley.
The “One Health, One Caribbean, One Love” will target Government, NGOs, public health officials, environmentalists, laboratories and veterinary services along with diagnostic services. In the long run, the outcome expected is an informed and educated Caribbean public and stakeholders in the region.
According to reports, the ACP will realize a strong partnership and collaborative relationship between and among stakeholders in several areas including medical, veterinarian, environmental and wildlife professionals. The ACP also expects stronger ties between and among Caribbean professionals with the capacity to also diagnose foreign and endemic or widespread animal and zoonotic disease.
Other regional countries which will participate in the “One Health, One Caribbean, One Love” initiative include Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
