in-cyprus 24 November 2025
Animal health is a pillar of societal resilience, intimately linked with public health, food safety and security, Minister of Health Michael Damianos said Monday addressing the 18th Regional Conference of World Organisation for Animal Health, (WOAH’s) Middle East Region, that took place in Larnaca.
The Minister said that the Conference brought together leading experts, policy makers, and partners committed in strengthening animal health, food security, public health, environmental stability and sustainable development across our region.
“Our presence here reflects a shared understanding: that animal health is a pillar of societal resilience, intimately linked with public health, food safety and security, economic stability, and environmental stewardship” he noted.
In a region, the Minister added, marked by intense trade, rapid population growth, climatic shifts, and complex geopolitical dynamics, the importance of our cooperation cannot be understated.
He said that as climate change alters animal diseases’ distribution and expands their ecological range; the implementation of robust biosecurity, early-warning detection systems, strengthened harmonised field surveillance and monitoring schemes, real-time molecular diagnostics, risk-based vaccination programmes and cross-border information exchange, are of essential importance in safeguarding both the sustainability of our animal population as well as the production and availability of healthy and safe animal products for human consumption.
Further to the above, he went on to say, Antimicrobial Resistance threatens the foundations of modern veterinary and human medicine and existence.
“The promotion and implementation of national Antimicrobial Resistance action plans, responsible use mentality as regards antimicrobial substances in livestock and strengthened residue monitoring schemes are of essence as regards the proper management of this silent contemporary threat” he said.
Damianos noted that in the framework of intensifying One Health collaborations, Cyprus is advancing in setting up and apply enhanced laboratory capacity combined with the implementation of a digital electronic prescription platform through which, the use of all veterinary medicinal products would be prescribed by animal health professionals, adding that all relevant tracking information will be uploaded through this platform to the European Medicines Agency data depository for process.
“Although challenges before us are complex, our collective expertise, shared values, and commitment to World Organisation for Animal Health principles provide us with the necessary tools to overcome these. The decisions we will take here in Larnaca will shape the resilience of our food systems, the security of our economies, and the well-being of our communities” he continued.
Cyprus, Damianos said, stands ready to deepen its engagement with Member Countries, World Organisation for Animal Health, and our international partners.
Together, we can protect animal health, advance sustainable livestock production, and build a stronger, safer, and healthier future for the Middle East region, he concluded.
