The 8th World One Health Congress (#WOHC2024) in Cape Town, South Africa is giving Afrique One the opportunity to discuss major One Health operational challenges, to mutually share experiences and operational research outcomes as well as identify capacity and institutional needs and perspectives. Afrique One has been involved in operational research and researchers’, practitioners’ and decision makers’ capacity strengthening in One Health since 2009 with the support of diverse funders (Wellcome, Sciences For Africa Foundation). In the last 15 years, the training, capacity developed and research conducted, contributed to demonstrate the socio-ecological links that lead to health risks, the scenarios for diseases control as well as the potential impacts and estimated societal added value of One Health in public health. Since 2009, most of our 150 trainees across Africa (Masters, PhDs, Postdocs) are working in local and regional African institutions, bringing One Health expertise and shaping the health system transition. The way we combine research and practice in a transdisciplinary approach allows us to get a large overview of some health challenges in Africa, issues we need to consider but also deepen for successful One Health operationalizations. Our operational research spans from endemic and emerging infectious diseases to Neglected Tropical Diseases and recently added Non Communicable Diseases.
Out of our 62 fellow’s cohort (2023-2027), 20 have submitted abstracts (you can read them here) that are accepted for oral and poster communications and will be presented at the WOHC. They will highlight some key issues in One Health: health system tools and methods, health promotion, collective action for behaviour change, modelling the added value, capacity strengthening and legal and economic aspects that enable One Health governance within multiscale institutions. Considering One Health as the integration of academic and non-academic knowledge from disciplines, sectors, institutions, communities, nations that adds societal value (public health, animal health and environmental health), the communications will discuss the contribution of social sciences, modelling and new technologies in the operationalization of One Health in Africa.
We expect to further work on One Health governance, capacity strengthening, game theory on decision and resources allocation, and collaboration such as transparent and equitable partnerships, comparative advantages of One Health initiatives. We also plan to bring three major issues for thoughts:
- transparent collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and funders to link the regional and national levels;
- curricula adaptation along the evolving One Health training supply (Masters, PhD programs, MOOCs…);
- health promotion and disease surveillance-response systems with community and public engagement.
Prof. Bassirou Bonfoh,
Director of Afrique One
Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire
Read “Advances in One Health Governance, Research and Capacity in Africa“
