On 19 December, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan organized a meeting of the Intersectoral Coordination Committee (ICC) under the One Health program.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Finance, as well as the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), and other partners.
Sectoral progress reports on project implementation
During the meeting, each relevant ministry and agency presented updates on the implementation of the project “Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response within the One Health Initiative in Central Asia, including Turkmenistan,” highlighting achieved results, ongoing activities, and priorities for future work.
The health sector reported significant progress in strengthening human resource and laboratory capacities. In particular, 37 national trainers were prepared on prevention, epidemiological surveillance, and treatment of zoonotic infections. Based on their work, training activities were conducted nationwide, reaching a total of 450 specialists, including epidemiologists, infectious disease physicians, intensivists, bacteriologists, virologists, and veterinarians.
Special attention was given to improving the quality of laboratory services. A training course on laboratory quality management systems was conducted, training 278 health sector specialists, as well as a biosafety and biosecurity course that covered 275 laboratory specialists at all levels.
In addition, 18 specialists were trained in the detection of antibiotic residues in food products, contributing to the strengthening of the food safety control system.
Strengthening laboratory infrastructure
The project also includes procurement of laboratory equipment and consumables for the Centre for Public Health and Nutrition, the Centre for the Prevention of Particularly Dangerous Infections, laboratories of the regional branches of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, and the State Veterinary Service.
To date, 20 freezers and 55 refrigerators have already been procured for sanitary-epidemiological and veterinary service institutions, significantly enhancing laboratory preparedness for epidemiological surveillance and response to infectious threats.
Intersectoral collaboration and future plans
During the meeting, Maral Chommadova, Regional Coordinator for Action Plan Development from CAREC, delivered a presentation outlining CAREC’s role and functions in implementing the World Bank-funded project “One Health for Pandemic Prevention, Food System Resilience, and Ecosystem Health in Central Asia.”
Participants discussed progress in project implementation and plans for activities in 2026, with particular emphasis on strengthening collaboration between the human health, animal health, and environmental sectors.
Meeting outcomes
As a result the meeting, the ICC agreed upon priority areas for further work, aimed at strengthening national capacity, enhancing preparedness for pandemic threats, and reinforcing intersectoral coordination. Promoting the One Health approach remains a key tool for ensuring a sustainable health system and protecting public health in the country.
Oxana Kravtsova - Regional One Health Program Coordinator, okravtsova@carececo.org
Irina Bubenko - Regional One Health Program Specialist, ibubenko@carececo.org
Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC)