Presentation by Professor Robyn Alders, Hub Roadmap Series Lead, at the Special Technical Session on 'Building a resilient biomedical disaster response: learning from the Covid-19 pandemic' organised by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This session was part of the 5th World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM), which took place in New Delhi, India, in November 2021.

1. Robyn Alders, AO
Global Health Programme, Chatham House, London, UK
Development Policy Centre and Institute for Climate, Energy and
Disaster Solutions, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Decreased zoonotic disease, increased food safety:
the multiple benefits of a One Health approach to Public
Health Emergency Preparedness
Building a resilient biomedical disaster response: learning from the COVID-19
pandemic - Session 3 Health Emergency Preparedness
24 November 2021

2. Chatham House | The Royal Institute of International Affairs 2
Acknowledgements

3. CABI 2020
African Swine Fever
¼ global pig population killed
Fall armyworm
USD 6 billion/yr in 12 African countries
High path avian influenza H5N1
> USD 60 billion
AMR
Climate
change
Biodiversity &
agro-diversity
Malnutrition
FOOD
COVID-19 is symptomatic of wider systemic failures

4. What’s facilitating the spread of pathogens and pests? (I)
Increasing
• Human population
• Domestic livestock population
• Companion animal population
• Frequency of movement of people,
plants and animals
• Length of value chains
• Human expansion into naïve
landscapes
Decreasing
• Biodiversity
• Agrobiodiversity (plant & animal)
• Genetic diversity of livestock and crops
increases their pest and disease
susceptibility
• Funding for national biosecurity and
quarantine services and international
points of entry
• Funding for frontline engagement
• Efficiency of chain of command
(decentralisation)

5. Evolution of new avian viruses and variants of existing virulent viruses facilitated by
characteristics of current intensive poultry production systems including:
Host genetic
homogeneity
(with few host adaptive
bottlenecks)
High density rearing
(allowing close animal-
to-animal contact and
favouring transmission
of virulent over low
pathogenic strains)
Intensive vaccination
programs
(which provide selective
immune pressures and may
be executed improperly in
resource-poor settings)
Make high biosecurity essential for intensive production systems
What’s facilitating the spread of pathogens and pests? (II)

6. One Health framing
Humans
Animals
Water
Soil
Plants
Environment
• Aim: One Health policy
framework that positively
reinforces good practice and
good outcomes across all
sectors
• Sustainble and circular
bioeconomies
valuing all inputs -
to deliver safe, nutritious
food for all
Ref: 2020 Global Hunger Index Essay ‘One Health, Zero Hunger

7. One Health biosecurity risk analysis, management
and communication
Common understanding Feasible, comprehensible
• Participatory epidemiology and
disease/pest control
• Appropriate language(s), terms
and images for community and
technicians
• Pre-testing of communication
materials
• Participatory implementation,
monitoring and evaluation
• Community perspectives
- disease aetiology
- problem identification
- system specific
• Policy objectives and
implementation constraints
across relevant sectors
(Alders and Bagnol 2007)

8. 8
Coronavirus depresses demand and disrupts supply
The spread of misinformation about poultry being a source of COVID19 on social media heavily impacted consumption
An example: communicate COVID-19 risk more
effectively by building on local knowledge and
priorities

9. Chatham House | The Royal Institute of International Affairs 9
1. A One Health approach to risk analysis, risk management and risk
communication
2. A One Health approach to legislation and policy to increase efficiency and minimise
chances of negative impacts of public health measures between sectors
3. Inclusive One Health policy making, implementation and monitoring
4. Emergency preparedness practices tailored to system-specific risk analyses
5. Emergency preparedness training tailored to local circumstances
6. To document the multiple benefits of being prepared, for example, improved
nutrition security, food safety and return on funds invested across sectors
To deliver effective and efficient Public Health
Emergency Preparedness, we need:

10. 10
Comments and queries welcome
RAlders@chathamhouse.org
Robyn.alders@anu.edu.au
Thank you for your time
No one individual, group or sector can deliver
sustainable emergency preparedness.
Together, we have to!