Yogyakarta- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of UGM in cooperation with International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and IDRC Canada, through Zoonotic Diseases Center (ZDC) founded by the Faculty is currently developing and socializing Ecohealth concept. This is related to the appointment of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine as Ecohealth Regional Center of Asia (ERCA). Ecohealth is a discipline that deals with environmental preservation and health approach as the basic foundation for animal health which implicates on human health and welfare.
“Faculty of Veterinary Medicine becomes Ecohealth Regional Center of Asia (ERCA) to continue the modern concept of Ecohealth including wide spectrum about activity and responsibility to environmental health, animal health, and human health,” Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. drh. Bambang Sumiarto, M.Sc., told reporters on Monday (15/8).
He added that this event involves many disciplines such as medical science, veterinary medicine, animal science, biology, geography, anthropology, and social science. The focuses of ecohealth activity are Capacity Building, Curriculum Development, Research on Zoonotic Diseases, and Community Empowerment through Student Field Practice (KKN).
Sumiarto also said that Faculty of Veterinary Medicine also invites Faculty of Medicine UGM to develop One Health program through event sponsored by USAID, USA. “This program is very complementary with Ecohealth which emphasizes on multi-disciplinary approach to address many health issues and new emerging diseases,” he said.
To improve the leadership skills of Vet graduates, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine UGM also cooperates with University of Sydney, Australia to prepare some staff to be sent to Australia in Veterinary Leadership Training. “These staff will give leadership training to vets in regions all over Indonesia later on,” he ended the conversation.