On March 23, U.S. Ambassador Kritenbrink joined many other dignitaries from the Government of Vietnam (GVN), other embassies, and representatives from the United Nations and other international and national organizations, to sign the Vietnam One Health Partnership for Zoonoses (OHP) Framework. One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach to infectious disease prevention that recognizes the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. This partnership signals collaborative support to Vietnam to help prevent, detect, and respond to emerging infectious disease threats which may spillover from animal contact and risk pandemic spread, as in the case of COVID-19. The U.S. Government continues to be a major contributor, technically and financially, since the beginning of the OHP in 2016, including funding its Secretariat, which has now transferred to full GVN ownership.
So what? This signing event, with the Ambassador representing the contributions and partnerships of several U.S. agencies with the GVN, demonstrates continued U.S. leadership and support of the OHP and Vietnam’s ownership in promoting global health security.
Phuong Nguyen/USAID