On 27 March, a National Coordination Meeting was held in Ashgabat on the Pandemic Fund project ‘Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response’ as part of the ‘One Health’ approach in Central Asia. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal.

The event was organised by the WHO, FAO and the World Bank in collaboration with national and regional partners. Representatives from relevant ministries, international organisations and development partners, including The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), took part in the meeting.

Participants discussed achievements for 2024–2025, priorities for 2026, improved coordination and solutions to programme implementation challenges. A series of technical sessions facilitated the exchange of experiences and the development of comprehensive measures against health threats.

During the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment to cross-sectoral and intergovernmental cooperation, emphasising its importance in reducing the risks of future pandemics. Launched in 2024, the project covers Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and aims to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, workforce training and health system management within the framework of ‘One Health’.