| dcterms.abstract | “One Health” has been defined as "The collaborative effort of multiple disciplines —
working locally, nationally, and globally — to attain optimal health for people,
animals and the environment. Globally, in recent years, this approach has become an
increasingly important model for the control of infectious diseases, especially
zoonosis. Today we are witnessing an increasing number of zoonoses, especially
vector borne ones that are emerging and spreading throughout the world as a result of
climate change and the increasingly intense movement of people and goods. The need
for rapid action in a completely new situation points to the need for close co-operation
between different professions, primarily physicians and veterinarians, and then
entomologists, biologists, climatologists, and others in order to gather the data
necessary to identify and control vector borne zoonoses. Only the multidisciplinary
approach that is the basis of "One Health" provides a comprehensive and precise
collection of data that is necessary for a quick and effective action for timely
discovering and establishing a system for monitoring and control of the existing, and
especially new, threatening vector borne zoonoses
In November 2018, a conference dedicated to strengthening the implementation of the
principle of “One health” in the prevention and control of arbovirus infections in the
Mediterranean and North African countries, including the Balkan countries, and
supported by the EU Commission, was held in Rome. The status of integrated / nonintegrated systems for monitoring and control of arbovirus infections in all 22
countries participating in the conference were presented. The status of the
aforementioned integrated system ranged from not existing at all as it was in Libya,
to the extent that it is integrated in almost all aspects, as is the case in Georgia. As far
as the Republic of Serbia is concerned, it has been concluded that the integrated
monitoring system for arbovirus infections is only partially present, the first steps have
been established, but it is necessary to regulate this system in a number of aspects.
In Serbia, cooperation between representatives of various professions (veterinarians,
doctors, entomologists and others) is currently based mostly on personal contacts and
initiatives and on volunteerism. There is no legally regulated system that represents
the first link for the establishment of integrated monitoring and control of arbovirus
and other zoonotic infections. As good examples of cooperation, the intersectional
teams established by the Institute for Public Health of Serbia (Batut), i.e. the Ministry
of Health, in the field of monitoring of influenza and West Nile fever, can be pointed
out.The further steps that need to be taken in Serbia includes: 1. Strengthen the concept
of “One Health", integrating surveillance systems in the veterinary and public health
sectors, based on legislation; 2. Establishment of a common database of zoonotic
events and zoonotic agents related to public health, veterinary and agricultural sectors
so that integrated analysis can be done on early warning, early detection and risk
management; 3. Development of a national plan for zoonotic epidemics within the
One Health in accordance with the national plan/ National Generic Preparedness Plan;
4. Strengthen the links between the surveillance systems in public health and
veterinary sectors by providing systematic exchange of high quality data during
routine surveillance and crisis events; 5. Development of a standard operating
procedures (SOPs) for coordinated monitoring and sharing of information between
public health and veterinary sectors; 6. Development of a national plan for vector
control in order to harmonize and increase the timeliness of vector control in Serbia
and 7. Strengthening of the laboratory capacities especially in the field of zoonotic
diseases. | En |
