National Action Plan for the Strengthening of the Zoonotic Disease Policy.

This National Action Plan, implemented in the period from 2022 to 2026, describes the governmental commitment to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases emerging and spreading in the future and to ensure preparation for possible outbreaks, through the One Health (environment, animals and humans) approach. The government and experts specify that international collaboration is crucial to combat cross-border health threats, and therefore the Action Plan provides for strengthening international cooperation and research on the matter. The Action Plan consists of three pillars for for tackling zoonotic diseases: 1) prevention, 2) detection and 3) response. Concerning prevention, the Action Plan develops measures and efforts to combat climate change and changing land use, and guidelines to support municipalities and provinces in taking zoonotic risks into account in rural and urban planning. Targeted measures include: increasing biosecurity at farms and the vaccination of poultry against bird flu; intensive supervision of animal fairs for companion animals and other wild animals; monitoring both the legal and illegal trade in animals and meat; raising awareness of zoonotic diseases among the general public and experts; achieving animal welfare in livestock farming, in balance with public health.
Concerning detection, the Action Plan focuses on monitoring and surveillance for zoonotic diseases from the environment, animals and humans. The Action Plan provides for expanding the capacities of zoonoses structures and the Centre for the Monitoring of Vectors, in order to develop a knowledge platform for vector-borne infectious diseases. The Action Plan also develops One Health surveillance with the possibility of a data exchange platform for improving animal-human data exchange, in order to detect sources. Concerning response measures, the Action Plan introduces strengthening measures, research and investments, and improves contingency plans and national crisis plan for infectious and zoonotic diseases.