Strengthening collaboration between human and animal health sectors for improved health security

Course information

This course is available in the following languages: Українська

Overview: The course is divided into 4 modules:

1. Bridging international frameworks to strengthen the collaboration at the human-animal interface (National Bridging Workshops programme)
2. Guidance and operational tools to support countries in building capacities (Tripartite Zoonosis Guide and associated tools)
3. Joint simulation exercise to test and improve coordinating capacities
4. Return of experience and regional perspectives

Learning objectives: By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• describe the international frameworks and associated tools used for human health (International Health Regulations - IHR; State Party Annual Reporting - SPAR, and Joint External Evaluation - JEE) and animal health (Performance of Veterinary Services Pathway - PVS Pathway);
• explain how these frameworks can be bridged in IHR-PVS National Bridging Workshops (NBW) to strengthen the collaboration at the human-animal interface in countries;
• navigate the Tripartite Zoonosis Guide which provides guidance on how to implement a One Health approach for the management of zoonotic diseases;
• identify the operational tools (Joint Risk Assessment OT, Multisectoral Coordination Mechanisms OT, Surveillance and Information Sharing OT) developed by the Tripartite to support countries in the operationalization of the One Health approach; and
• describe how joint field simulation exercises can help countries in testing and improving their coordinating capacities.

Course duration: Approximately 2 hours.

Certificates: A Confirmation of Participation is available to participants who complete 100% of the course material.

Course contents

• Introduction to the webinar:

  Dr Stephane de la Rocque, technical advisor at the World Health Organization, welcomes you to this webinar and introduces the work of WHO’s Human-Animal Interface team.

• Module 1: National Bridging Workshops: A tool to operationalize the collaboration between human and animal health while advancing sector-specific goals in countries:

  This first module presents National Bridging Workshops (NBWs), their method, their roll-out and their follow-up. NBWs are 3-day national events during which stakeholders from the animal health and human health services of a country meet specifically to discuss, evaluate and improve their collaboration. NBWs use a robust and participative methodology developed jointly by WHO and OIE. A total of 32 countries have already conducted a NBW.

• Module 2: Guidance and operational tools to support countries in building collaborative capacities (Tripartite Zoonosis Guide and associated tools):

  This module has been developed by the Tripartite organisations (FAO, OIE and WHO) as an introduction to the Tripartite Zoonoses Guide (TZG). After watching the webinar, you will understand the purpose of the TZG; explore the 7 technical chapters of the TZG; learn about the operational tools available to support the use of the TZG at a country level; and hear from those who have used the tools at the national and subnational levels. If you are interested in learning more, the tripartite has developed a freely available online training.

• Module 3: Cross-border field simulation exercise in Kenya and Tanzania:

  Join us in Namanga, Kenya, at the border with Tanzania, where over 300 participants from 7 key sectors gathered to conduct a cross border field simulation exercise on a fictitious outbreak of Rift Valley Fever.

• Module 4: Combining these tools in a comprehensive approach (Country and Regional perspectives):

  To conclude the webinar, listen to regional perspectives and specific examples from the field, on how these different tools are being used in a comprehensive approach at the regional and country level.