Regional Secretariat of the One Health Program for Pandemic Prevention, Food Systems Resilience, and Ecosystem Health in Central Asia (ROHCS)

Publication date: 11 June 2026

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The Regional Secretariat was established under the One Health for Pandemic Prevention, Food Systems Resilience, and Ecosystem Health in Central Asia Program.

This is a Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach (MPA) supported by the World Bank, the Pandemic Fund, and other development partners.

The Secretariat’s mission is to coordinate, facilitate, and provide technical support to the five countries of the region: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan -with the aim of advancing the One Health approach at the regional level, strengthening effective collaboration, and creating a platform for direct knowledge exchange and joint discussion of key issues.

Key Areas of Work

Coordinating inter-country and cross-border cooperation on zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and food safety.
Developing and managing the Central Asia One Health Portal, a regional information platform.
Organizing capacity-building activities, training programs, and simulation exercises for national specialists.

The Secretariat, hosted by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), was established to address challenges that cannot be effectively managed by individual countries acting alone.

Its primary mission is to serve as a neutral platform that complements the global efforts of partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), while focusing on practical cross-border coordination.

Core Functions of the Secretariat

Coordination and Facilitation. Ensuring effective collaboration among countries and sectors -including public health, agriculture, and environmental management -to address shared challenges through a coordinated approach.
Country Support. Providing technical assistance and facilitating the integration of One Health principles into national strategies, policies, and regulatory frameworks.
Capacity Development. Organizing regional training and professional development activities for specialists in epidemiology, veterinary medicine, food safety, and related disciplines.

The Secretariat’s governance structure includes the Regional One Health Coordination Council (ROHCC) and specialized Technical Working Groups (TWGs), ensuring both strategic leadership and expert-level technical guidance.

Objectives for 2026

The year 2026 will be pivotal for the operationalization of the One Health approach in Central Asia. The Secretariat’s key objectives for this period include:

Completing the development and securing endorsement of the Regional One Health Action Plan (ROHAP), which will provide the framework for coordinated regional action.
Preparing and conducting the region’s first tabletop exercises on transboundary disease response. These exercises will test mechanisms for data sharing, communication channels, and joint decision-making procedures during zoonotic disease outbreaks.
Further developing the centralized online platform that will serve as a repository of international guidance and standards while also providing region-specific information, knowledge products, and resources.
Continuing the operationalization of the Regional One Health Coordination Council, established in October 2025, and supporting the formation and activation of Technical Working Groups across thematic areas.