Kuwait hosts regional meeting on combating animal and zoonotic diseases in the GCC
The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) has announced it will host a four-day regional meeting starting June 16, aimed at combating animal and zoonotic (human-animal) diseases in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
According to Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Atiqi, the meeting coordinator at KISR, the event is organized in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre for Nuclear Technologies in Food and Agriculture, and with participation from the World Organization for Animal Health’s regional office and representatives from all GCC countries, reports Al-Rai daily.
The meeting’s agenda includes:
- Scientific sessions and presentations on rapid disease detection
- Capacity-building strategies for national veterinary systems
- Unified regional responses to common and transboundary diseases
Among the diseases to be addressed are Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), Brucellosis, Rift Valley Fever, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Camelpox.
The meeting will promote the “One Health” approach, emphasizing integration between veterinary, public health, and environmental sectors to combat disease outbreaks more effectively.
Dr. Al-Atiqi noted that the event reinforces Kuwait’s regional leadership in scientific collaboration and health security, particularly amid rising challenges due to climate change, environmental shifts, and livestock overpopulation. Discussions will also highlight the latest diagnostic technologies, such as nuclear diagnostic tools and whole-genome sequencing.
Kuwait’s hosting of this event is seen as a scientific platform to unify efforts, enhance disease surveillance, and support global health initiatives through international cooperation.
