زموږ کیسې. د دوامداره پراختیا اهدافو په لور زموږ د کار په اړه نور معلومات ترلاسه کړئ.

Ahead of Eid al-Adha, FAO worked with private Veterinary Field Units across Afghanistan to reduce the risk of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), protecting lives, livelihoods and food security through a One Health approach. The days leading up to Eid al-Adha are among the busiest of the year in Afghanistan's livestock markets. Trucks arrive carrying sheep, goats and cattle. Traders negotiate prices as families prepare for one of the country's most important religious celebrations. But among the thousands of healthy-looking animals, a hidden threat can also travel unnoticed.Najibullah, a livestock trader from Takhar province, knows that danger firsthand. Last year, while trading livestock in Mazar-e-Sharif, he was bitten by an infected tick and contracted Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF)."It is a dangerous disease," he recalls. CCHF is a potentially fatal disease transmitted from animals to people through infected ticks and contact with infected animal blood or tissues. It is particularly difficult to detect because infected animals do not show visible signs of illness. Healthy-looking animals can still carry infected ticks, putting herders, traders, butchers and others who work closely with livestock at risk. With no vaccine available for either people or animals, prevention remains the most effective form of protection. Preventing diseases like CCHF requires a One Health approach that recognizes the close connection between animal, human and environmental health. Ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the United Kingdom and the World Health Organization (WHO), implemented a coordinated prevention campaign across 20 provinces to reduce disease risks before they could spread.  Working through Afghanistan's network of private Veterinary Field Units (VFUs), FAO strengthened frontline veterinary services in communities where the risk was greatest. These local veterinarians sprayed livestock markets, transport vehicles, animal shelters and market entry points to eliminate disease-carrying ticks where animals and people come into close contact. They also treated livestock against parasites, raised awareness among livestock keepers, traders and butchers on safe animal handling, tick prevention and market hygiene, and tested animals to strengthen surveillance and support early action. FAO's technical and operational support is helping strengthen veterinary services that livestock owners can continue to rely on long after emergency campaigns have ended.Over the course of this campaign, veterinary teams reached approximately 100 000 households and 80 livestock markets, providing practical advice and preventive services ahead of one of the busiest and highest-risk times of the year. "Healthy livestock are fundamental to Afghanistan's food systems and rural economy," says Dr. Lutfullah Rlung, Animal Production and Health Team Leader at FAO in Afghanistan. "Investing in animal health and strengthening local veterinary services helps protect livelihoods, supports food and nutrition security and reduces the risk of diseases spreading to people." Najibullah has already seen the difference these efforts can make."In previous years, spraying was also carried out, but it was limited. This year, even before Eid, they came and carried out extensive spraying. Continue the spraying campaigns. The greater the effort, the greater the benefit will be for all of us." For FAO, preventing diseases like CCHF is about more than responding to a single health threat. It is about strengthening the systems that help rural communities stay healthy, productive and resilient.Supporting animal health is also an investment in healthier families. Emerging evidence from FAO's research in Afghanistan suggests that improving animal health and reducing disease risks can contribute to better child health by lowering exposure to infectious and zoonotic diseases, while increasing access to nutritious foods.The findings also show that households with stronger livestock production tend to have healthier children and more diverse diets. Healthy animals help families produce milk, eggs and other nutrient-rich foods, while protecting an important source of income. This reinforces the close links between animal health, child health and nutrition, household livelihoods and food security.As Afghanistan continues to face climate shocks, economic pressures and recurring disease threats, preventing outbreaks before they occur remains one of the most cost-effective ways to protect lives and livelihoods.