Fasina, Folorunso O 
ORCID: 0000-0003-3088-8752, Bett, Bernard, Dione, Michel, Mutua, Florence, Roesel, Kristina ORCID: 0000-0002-2553-1129, Thomas, Lian ORCID: 0000-0001-8447-1210, Kwoba, Emmah ORCID: 0000-0002-7839-5845, Ayebazibwe, Chrisistom, Mtika, Nebart, Gebeyehu, Daniel T ORCID: 0000-0002-3325-4571 et al (show 4 more authors)
(2022)
One Health gains momentum in Africa but room exists for improvement.
One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 15.
100428-.
Abstract
<h4>Objectives</h4>The degree of One-Healthiness of a system relates to the effectiveness of an institution to operate within the six main dimensions which identify to what extent it complies with One Health concept. This paper evaluates institutional compliance with One Health concept in 14 institutions from eight African countries.<h4>Methods</h4>We utilised the adapted Network for the Evaluation of One Health (NEOH) tool. The institutions included six national One Health platforms and eight other institutions utilizing One Health approaches. Semi-quantitative evaluation of One Health platforms' competencies in six aspects/dimensions concerning One Health operations and infrastructure: <i>Systems Thinking, Planning, Transdisciplinary working, Sharing, Learning and Systemic Organization</i>, was conducted<i>.</i><h4>Results</h4>The evaluation revealed that although all aspects of One Health scored above average, systemic organization and working in One Health were the strongest areas where tremendous gains had been made across the evaluated countries. The aspects of planning, sharing, learning, and thinking should be optimized to achieve gains emanating from One Health approaches in Africa. Cultural and social balance, and integrated health approach were the strongest areas under working and thinking respectively. Thinking was particularly challenged in areas of dimensions coverage and balance, while planning was challenged in the areas of capacity for detection, identification, monitoring of infectious diseases; biosafety and quality management; skills through taught and distance-learning programmes; information and communication technologies to support learning and skills through research apprenticeships.<h4>Conclusion</h4>We conclude that although One Health has gained momentum in Africa, there still exists room for improvement. The revealed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and gaps in One Health implementation provide an opportunity for prioritization and refocusing of efforts and resources to strengthen the identified weak areas.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Functionality, Integrated approaches to health, National One Health Platform, One Health evaluation, One Health index, One Health ratio, Transdisciplinary |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Jan 2023 11:05 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Mar 2024 03:26 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100428 |
| Open Access URL: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100428 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3168007 |
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