Introduction

About African One Health University Network (AFROHUN). AFROHUN works to transform training approaches and the training environment in universities and through innovative platforms like the AFROHUN Academy, in a bid to develop a workforce without disciplinary barriers that are needed to confront today’s complex challenges like pandemics, climate change, and its impacts in communities on livelihoods. We enable learners (both pre-and in-service) to understand and appreciate the contribution of diverse disciplines outside their own in preventing, predicting, detecting, and responding to complex health challenges we are witnessing today on the African continent and globally. This is the next-generation workforce that we need in the face of increasing outbreaks of epidemics, pandemics, and other complex health challenges.

To achieve this transformation and contribute to health security in-country, and regionally, we are supporting efforts in member and partner institutions in reviewing curricula, designing new and exciting experiential learning multidisciplinary training programs, re-tooling trainers, educating communities on the existence and transmission of zoonotic and infectious diseases and equipping them to manage such challenges using a One Health approach, engaging and working with regional bodies, national and sub-national governments to embrace and integrate One Health approaches into national policies, strategic plans and programs.

Global Health Security

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global health security is the existence of strong and resilient public health systems that can prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats, wherever they occur in the world.

Launched in February 2014, the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is an international effort to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. The objectives of this agenda are to promote multi-sectoral engagement and collaboration using the One Health approach to address disease threats against humans, animals, and the environment, as well as to ensure a security focus to counter deliberate (human-engineered) threats to humans, animals, and the environment.

The One Health approach

The One Health approach supports global health security by improving coordination, collaboration, and communication at the human-animal-environment interface to address shared health threats such as zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, climate change, and its health-related effects.

Since its inception in 2010, AFROHUN and many other One Health practitioners have gained valuable knowledge and promising testimonials that can serve as a springboard for many newcomers in the One Health field.  The AFROHUN biennial conference provides that space where such rich experiences are shared, and new areas of work shaped.

Climate Change

Climate change threatens health security. It has worsened public health emergencies like floods, disease outbreaks, drought, and famine, as well as causing severe and widespread adverse effects on population health. Climate change accelerates the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases and will continue to influence the interfaces between humans, animals, and the environment.  The frequency of disease outbreaks with pandemic potential is increasing partly because of the effects of climate change. It displaces people from their homes resulting in food insecurity and limited or lack of access to healthcare. Dealing with the effects of climate change requires a multidisciplinary One Health focus with sectors and disciplines working together to develop holistic interventions. The conference will create space for One Health practitioners, academics/researchers, and policymakers to take stock of how the One Health approach has been utilized in addressing this challenge and its effects on health. Climate change has been studied and reported to have a significant effect on the accelerated growth of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

AFROHUN