The zooprophylactic of Abruzzo and Molise named FAO reference center for One Health – Virtù Quotidiane

TERAMO – “Following our careful evaluation of the mandate, the main activities and skills, the achievement of scientific, technical and political prestige and the commitment made to strengthen capacity development in the areas relevant for the FAO, as well as for the previous collaboration experience with the FAO, I am pleased to inform you that the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo has been designated FAO Reference Center for One Health”.

It begins with these lines signed by the deputy director-General of the FAO, Maria Helena Semedothe nomination document sent to the general director of the Izs of Abruzzo and Molise Nicola D’Alterio.

“This prestigious designation once again rewards the scientific expertise of our Institute, I would first of all like to thank the researchers and all the staff of the Institution”, comments D’Alterio. “After the Reference Centers for Veterinary Epidemiology, Zoonotic Coronaviruses and expertise in the sectors of animal health and information systems, FAO also recognizes us as an international center of excellence for research and health protection in holistic terms . We have always worked following the One Health approach with the aim of achieving global health and paying particular attention to the most vulnerable populations living in developing countries where the relationship between people’s health and the health of their animals is very close. and the environment in which they live, with all that entails”.

There are several tasks of the new Reference Center which, first of all, is called upon to provide “specific and independent technical-scientific advice” to the FAO in activities to support the development of the Organization’s member countries. The Izs of Teramo will have to provide diagnostic services on suspected and confirmed outbreaks of emerging zoonotic pathogens; training and consultancy for the development of the capacities of national veterinary laboratories of FAO member countries; develop and strengthen the surveillance system to monitor antimicrobial resistance in relation to the human, animal and environmental interface; perform molecular characterization of pathogens in wastewater; strengthen the early detection and characterization of emerging pathogens, using technologies such as Next Generation Sequencing. And again, supporting the FAO by promoting research for the development of new generation veterinary vaccines and the production of diagnostic kits and biological reagents; provide technical support for the development of predictive epidemiological models for the control of diseases such as Rift Valley Fever, West Nile Disease, Dengue, Zika, etc.

“One Health is a healthcare approach based on the integration of different disciplines, which recognizes the intimate connection between people, animals and the environment, and which proposes an integrated approach to prevent the spread of diseases and holistically address health threats . The activities and areas of intervention of the newly created Reference Center are many, they require joint work of transversal professionalism on a strictly scientific level and beyond”, adds general director D’Alterio. “With this in mind, in 2022, we have promoted the One Health Award precisely to create a broad space for public debate, involving scientists from different disciplines, political decision-makers, scientific communicators, communication professionals, protagonists from the world of culture and entrepreneurship. Bringing different approaches into dialogue with each other to arrive at the synthesis of a Single Health, in the belief that to prevent the spread of diseases it is necessary to implement interdisciplinary actions on a health, political and daily practice level”.

“On behalf of myself and all the staff of the Institute that I have the honor of directing”, concludes D’Alterio, “I thank Undersecretary Gemmato who immediately showed closeness to our scientific reality. The words of esteem that he expressed for the designation of the Izs of Teramo as CoR of the FAO have great value and will be an incentive to do more and more and better in the service of the country”.

In a note already sent to the media, in fact, the Undersecretary of State for Health, Marcello Gemmato, complimented the Institute: “A round of applause to the entire Izs team of Teramo for their extraordinary work and dedication in promote One Health and in obtaining this prestigious nomination. The Izs of Teramo continues to represent a fundamental pillar in the national and international public health panorama, and the Ministry of Health is committed to continuing to support its important initiatives and projects”.