Islamabad: The federal government has constituted a high-level Technical Working Group (TWG) under the Planning Commission’s project “One Health Workforce Development and Coordination Towards Pandemic Readiness” to strengthen Pakistan’s preparedness for future pandemics and emerging health threats.
According to a notification issued today, with the approval of the Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C), the TWG will be chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy (HSA), Islamabad Prof. Shahzad Ali Khan, and will include senior representatives from key federal and provincial health institutions, line ministries, and international partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Other members include the Director General (Health), Ministry of NHSR&C; Chief Health, Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives; Director General Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Climate Change; Director General Livestock, AJK; National Coordinator for One Health at the HSA; NIH officials; provincial and ICT health department representatives; senior pharmacists; and technical experts from the Ministry of IT, POHA, RARC, and the Global Fund.
The Terms of Reference (TORs) of the group include reviewing the annual performance of the One Health Workforce programme, guiding the Health Services Academy and the Ministry in developing strategies, SOPs, and proposals, and advising on grant calls, funding utilisation, and sustainability of interventions. Members will serve for a period of two years, renewable subject to performance.
The One Health approach is a globally recognised framework that links human health, animal health, and environmental health. It acknowledges that diseases can spread between animals and humans and can be influenced by environmental factors such as climate change, deforestation, and pollution.
Experts believe this integrated approach is essential for preventing outbreaks like COVID-19, avian influenza, and zoonotic diseases, which often cross the animal-human barrier.
In Pakistan’s context, health officials say the One Health model is particularly critical due to repeated outbreaks of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases including Congo fever, rabies, dengue, chikungunya, and bird flu, as well as the looming threat of antimicrobial resistance.
By bringing together veterinary experts, human health specialists, environmental scientists, and policymakers, the government aims to strengthen early warning systems, surveillance, and coordinated responses to public health emergencies.
Officials pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed weaknesses in Pakistan’s fragmented health systems, with poor coordination between human health services, animal health departments, and environmental regulators.
“Pandemic threats often emerge at the interface of humans, animals, and ecosystems. Without integrated surveillance and cross-sectoral collaboration, countries remain vulnerable to repeated health crises,” Prof. Shahzad Ali Khan said.
Global health agencies, including WHO and the CDC, have long urged countries like Pakistan to adopt the One Health framework not only to prepare for pandemics but also to tackle ongoing challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, food safety, and environmental degradation. The formation of the TWG is expected to help align Pakistan with these international commitments.
Public health experts have welcomed the establishment of the TWG but emphasised the importance of practical implementation. “The challenge will be ensuring that this forum does not remain a bureaucratic exercise but translates into genuine collaboration between ministries, provinces, and international partners,” one senior health professional observed.
They added that successful implementation of One Health would require digital surveillance systems, skilled workforce development, and political will to integrate policies across sectors traditionally working in silos. The new working group, if empowered, could help Pakistan avoid repeating mistakes of past pandemics and ensure a more coordinated, science-driven response to health threats.
Ends