The UAB hosts a meeting with One Health specialists

On 30 March, the UAB played host to the first One Health Meeting, organised by the Council of the Veterinary Association of Catalonia in collaboration with the Council of the Medical Association of Catalonia and the UAB Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The event took place at the Hotel Exe Campus, located at the UAB's Vila Universitària. This first meeting included the participation of Josep Maria Argimon, Minister for Health; Ricard Parés, President of the Council of the Veterinary Association of Catalonia; Jaume Padrós, President of the Council of the Medical Association of Catalonia; Javier Lafuente, Rector of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Joaquím Segalés, lecturer of the UAB Department of Animal Health and Anatomy and researcher at CRESA; Laila Darwich, director of the master's degree in Zoonoses and One Health at the UAB Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; and Maite Martin, dean of the UAB Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The meeting served to present the One Health committee, made up of Bonaventura Clotet, Laia Darwich, Lorenzo Fraile, Maite Martin, Maria Àngels Calvo, Natàlia Majó, Tomàs Montalvo and Tomàs Pumarola; in the meeting, members of the committee debated on emerging zoonoses which represent a public health risk.

One Health

One Health is a concept which formally received this name by the WHO, FAO and OIE in 2010 with the objective of taking on human health, animal health and environmental problems from a comprehensive, collaborative and interdisciplianry perspective. This method is becoming increasingly popular, given that it focuses on the interconnections between humans, animals and the environment.

Globalisation, climate emergency, and changes in human behaviour are all seen as possible situations in which pathogens can colonise new territories, new hosts and evolve into new forms. The resistance to antibiotics or the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic only confirm the validity and importance of the One Health concept.

The Council of the Veterinary Association of Catalonia finds it necessary to work from this perspective and for that reason created the One Health Committee in November 2020. It is formed by interdisciplinary experts with the objective of fostering synergies among different areas of expertise, and enriching the knowledge about and approaches to current challenges. The final goal is to work continuously on the improvement of public healthcare, animal care and the environment.

Programme:

10 – 10:30 a.m.: Arrival of guests
10:30 a.m.: Start of the meeting. Welcoming speech by Mr Daniel Arbós, scientific journalist

PRESENTATION

10:30 – 10:50 a.m.: Honourable Mr Ricard Parés, President of the Council of the Veterinary Association of Catalonia
Honourable Dr Jaume Padrós, President of the Council of the Medical Association of Catalonia

INAUGURATION

10:50 – 11:05 a.m. Dr Javier Lafuente, Rector of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
11:05 – 11:25 a.m. Honourable Dr. Josep Maria Argimon, Minister for Health of the Government of Catalonia
11:25 – 11:35 a.m. Official presentation of the members of the Scientific Committee
11:35 – 11:55 a.m. Conference on One Health, entitled “Una salut: un concepte inclusiu”, with guest of honour Dr Joaquim Segalés

Coffee Break

12:20 – 1:20 p.m. One Health Scientific Committee: questions and debate
1:20 – 1:40 p.m. Conference on the creation and experience behind One Health, entitled “Experiència i Formació One Health”. Dr Laila Darwich, Director of the master's degree in Zoonoses and One Health of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UAB)
1:40 – 1:50 p.m. One Health Award: Recognition of professional trajectory

CLOSING SPEECH

1:50 – 2 p.m. Honourable Dr Maite Martin, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UAB)

 

Link to the programme in PDF (in Catalan)