Amman: The Third International Conference on One Health and Veterinary Innovations opened in Amman on Monday under the patronage of HRH Princess Alia bint Al Hussein, bringing together researchers and specialists from 10 countries to examine emerging risks at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. The three-day conference, organized by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), focuses on zoonotic and emerging diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, climate and environmental change, as well as advances in veterinary diagnostics, treatment, and healthcare.
According to Jordan News Agency, researchers, academics, and experts from Jordan, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Malaysia, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon are participating in the event. JUST President Khalid El-Salem highlighted the growing health and environmental pressures, which have transformed the One Health concept from a scientific framework into an increasingly important approach to managing interconnected risks. He emphasized that zoonotic and emerging diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, and climate and environmental change have direct implications for health and food security, as well as the ability of societies to anticipate and respond to emerging threats.
El-Salem stressed the need for closer coordination across sectors and disciplines to address these challenges, noting that the conference aims to translate scientific understanding into integrated and preventive policies and practices. Its agenda is aligned with Jordan's national priorities and Economic Modernization Vision, particularly in the areas of quality of life, food security, innovation, and sustainability.
Furthermore, El-Salem highlighted the importance of strengthening prevention and early surveillance, combating antimicrobial resistance, and protecting the food chain, while developing systems capable of identifying health and environmental risks before they develop into wider crises. He stated that scientific research should ultimately translate into practical solutions and inform public policy, highlighting JUST's combination of medical, veterinary, pharmaceutical, agricultural, engineering, and scientific disciplines as a platform for cross-disciplinary research.
He also acknowledged the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine's role as Jordan's only veterinary college, alongside its veterinary teaching hospital, which serves as a center for veterinary education and healthcare. The faculty's work extends to livestock protection, food safety, surveillance of zoonotic and emerging diseases, and broader public health.
El-Salem pointed out that the university is seeking to use the conference to develop new research partnerships and joint projects, improve mechanisms for sharing information and data, strengthen disease surveillance, and produce practical scientific recommendations for policymakers. Such cooperation could also enhance the ability of national and regional institutions to prepare for health and environmental risks, while supporting Jordan's position as a regional platform for scientific dialogue and One Health cooperation.
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Dean Maysar Al-Qakish stated that the conference seeks to move One Health from a scientific concept toward coordinated implementation by connecting veterinary medicine, public health, and environmental expertise. She emphasized that closer cooperation among universities, government institutions, international organizations, and the private sector is central to that approach.
The program includes scientific sessions and practical workshops, alongside an exhibition featuring pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and technological innovations, allowing participants to exchange expertise and review recent developments across One Health disciplines. Following the opening session, Princess Alia inaugurated the veterinary medicine exhibition and received a commemorative medal from the university president in recognition of her patronage of the conference and continued support for animal health, welfare, and protection.