FAO, EPA join hands for One Health, environmental surveillance

PESHAWAR: A delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Pakistan, led by Dr. Pawin Padungtod, One Health Team Lead, and Dr. Kiyal Akmatbek, Program Coordinator KP, along with the FAO team, visited the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-KP) to discuss One Health and explore avenues for future collaboration. On behalf of the director-general of EPA (KP), the delegation was received by Dr. Habib Ullah Jan, One Health Focal Person, and Afsar Khan. The discussion focused particularly on strengthening the environmental pillar of One Health, with emphasis on environmental surveillance and wastewater assessment associated with veterinary clinics, slaughterhouses, dairy farms, poultry farms, and other livestock-related facilities. The potential role of environmental and wastewater surveillance in addressing antimicrobial resistance, infectious disease risks, and environmental health was also discussed. The interaction between climate change and environmental surveillance was highlighted as an emerging area requiring integrated One Health approaches. The FAO delegation appreciated the proposed areas of collaboration and expressed interest in working with EPA-KP on future initiatives. Potential FAO support for capacity building, technical training, and strengthening environmental surveillance capabilities was also discussed. The meeting marked a positive step towards strengthening collaboration between FAO Pakistan and EPA-KP and advancing an integrated approach to human, animal, and environmental health in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. EPA-KP remains committed to strengthening the environmental dimension of One Health through science-based surveillance, regulation, capacity building, and inter-sectoral collaboration. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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