Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A practical training session on the One Health approach and biosafety was held in Tashkent on 21–22 September to reduce the risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission in Uzbekistan’s protected and conserved natural areas, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said.
The event brought together environmental specialists, wildlife experts and professionals working in livestock, ecosystem and human health.
The One Health approach involves coordinating efforts across the environmental, veterinary and public health sectors while taking into account risks arising where wildlife, livestock, people and the environment interact.
As part of Uzbekistan’s national One Health prioritization process, the country identified eight priority zoonotic diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, anthrax, rabies, brucellosis, zoonotic tuberculosis, plague, influenza and echinococcosis.
These diseases, along with other examples relevant to Uzbekistan, were used during the training to assess potential risks at the intersection of human, animal and environmental interactions. Particular attention was given to the role of staff working in protected natural areas in identifying such risks and passing information to relevant specialists.
Dao Nguyen, senior program manager of IUCN’s Conservation Action Programme, said nature conservation is part of the One Health approach. She noted that maintaining the health of ecosystems and wildlife populations, as well as understanding areas where wildlife, livestock and people interact, can help reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission.
About 20 people took part in the training, including rangers, inspectors and researchers from the Saigachiy Integrated Landscape Reserve, Southern Ustyurt National Nature Park, Chatkal State Biosphere Reserve and Zarafshan National Nature Park.
Representatives and experts from the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, the Institute of Virology, the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and the Agency for Livestock and Pasture Development under the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan also participated.
The practical sessions covered biosafety, safe animal handling, surveillance and early warning, disease outbreak investigation, assessment of risks associated with wildlife diseases, sustainable tourism and engagement with local communities.
Participants practiced selecting and safely using personal protective equipment and assessed risks associated with wildlife mortality events. They also studied IUCN guidance materials on the One Health approach and ways to apply them in protected and conserved natural areas.
Alexandra Zaslavskaya, a researcher at Zarafshan National Park, noted that the park has an elongated shape, is unfenced and borders populated areas. According to her, livestock can enter the park and come into contact with wild animals. She identified stray dogs as an additional risk factor.
Dr. Mark Valitutto, a wildlife veterinarian and biosafety specialist who conducted the training, emphasized the importance of clearly distributing responsibilities among specialists. According to him, a protected-area employee may be the first to notice an unusual event, a veterinary specialist can assess its consequences for animal health, and public health specialists can evaluate potential risks to people.
At the end of the two-day training, participants developed One Health action plans for their respective protected natural areas. They identified practical measures to strengthen surveillance, manage potential disease transmission risks and improve coordination among specialists working in conservation, research and biosafety.
