GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The One Health Platform, launched in 2022 to help Guyana better prepare for diseases that can spread from wildlife to humans, was officially handed over to the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) on Wednesday, marking a significant step towards a national implementation, surveillance and response system.

The One Health Platform is supported by the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and other partners.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, FAO Assistant Country Representative Gitanjali Chanderpal said the event represents a shift from project-based implementation to national stewardship and long-term sustainability.

“Guyana is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, wildlife plays a central role in food security, livelihoods and cultures of indigenous and rural communities, however, this relationship also carries health risks especially when wild meat and wildlife trade are not accompanied by appropriate surveillance, regulations and food safety practices,” Chanderpal said.

According to Chanderpal, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a stark reminder of the global impact of zoonotic diseases.

A key achievement of the programme was the creation of a multi-sectoral platform that brings together government agencies, technical partners and wildlife users to share information and guide actions related to zoonotic disease risks.

A methodology tailored specifically to Guyana was also developed to prioritise zoonotic diseases linked to wildlife use.

This led to the creation of standardised protocols for assessing disease prevalence in wildlife, an essential step toward an evidence-based response system.

The programme also invested in strengthening the capacity of GLDA staff. Teams were trained to collect and analyse samples from the wild meat market chain, identifying potential transmission risks from the forest to the market to the table. Public awareness initiatives were also carried out, emphasising the safe handling, preparation and storage of wild meat.

“Today’s event is a celebration of partnership, progress and shared purpose. What begin as an initiative under the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme, has grown into a dynamic platform that brings together professionals across disciplines from public health to agriculture, conservation to academia and from national authorities to indigenous communities,” Head of the Veterinary Services Lab at GLDA, Johaine McAllister, said during her brief remarks.