Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor on Environment, Forests and Climate Change, today (November 4) highlighted the need to protect nature, wildlife and the environment to safeguard public health and prevent infectious diseases.

She stressed the urgency of changing human attitudes and promoting responsible behavior to protect forests and wildlife. Noting that wildlife cannot speak out or defend their rights, she said: “It is our duty to guarantee their rights and those of nature.”

“Living in harmony with nature and wildlife can help protect us from various infectious diseases,” the advisor said while speaking as the chief guest at an event at the hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka, marking World One Health Day 2024.

Rizwana said the One Health concept represents an integrated approach, recognizing the intrinsic link between human health, animal health and environmental well-being.

She called for raising public awareness of this relationship and implementing One Health initiatives.

She also highlighted the importance of activating the One Health model through local and international partnerships and stressed the need for a collective approach to achieve this goal.

Responding to a question from journalists after the event, Rizwana said the government aimed to jointly protect the island of St. Maarten and the tourism industry. All necessary measures will be taken to avoid any confusion on this subject.

Speaking as a special guest, Farida Akhter, Advisor on Fisheries and Livestock, said the One Health framework should not only involve the ministries of fisheries and livestock, health and family well-being, as well as the environment, forests and climate change; it should also include agriculture, industry and other relevant ministries.

She stressed that the use of pesticides and herbicides in agriculture poses serious threats to human and animal health.

She explained that although food production has increased, there has not been enough emphasis on safe food production.

Farida stressed that ensuring agricultural production through the One Health approach would protect public health.

MA Akmall Hossain Azad, Principal Secretary, Health Services Division, presided over the event. Md Sarwar Bari, Secretary, Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health; Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forests; Prof Dr Md Abu Jafor, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services; Dr Rajesh Narwal, Acting WHO Representative in Bangladesh; Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh; Reed J Aeschliman, USAID Bangladesh Mission Director; Prof Dr Nitish Chandra Debnath, National Coordinator of One Health Bangladesh and party leader; and Prof Dr Tahmina Shirin, Chair, Coordination, Committee, One Health Secretariat; also spoke.

During the event, prizes were distributed to the winners of the One Health competitions for 2023 and 2024.