Developing a ‘One Health’ approach to tackling Zoonotic Diseases

Delegates at the One Health Incubator gather on the first day.

Today, Zoonotic Diseases (diseases passed from animals to humans), such as Ebola, MERS, Avian Flu and Leishmaniasis are spreading with devastating effect. When looking for solutions, it is not enough to look at the human health sector to improve human health. We also need to look at animal health and environmental factors.

CORDS Incubator

In response to the outbreaks of Avian flu in humans in 2013 and the development of a One Health approach, CORDS developed our One Health Incubator, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.

We bring together people from our six worldwide networks to attend a two-day meeting where we work with public health workers, vets, wildlife practitioners, policy-makers, journalists and community members to get a better sense of the realities on the ground.

Our first Incubator was held in November 2014 in Thailand with our Mekong Basin and Asian Networks, MBDS and APEIR working with 26 representatives from seven countries in South East Asia.

Three smaller incubators were held in southern Europe to enable cross-border working. Our final One Health Incubator will be next week on 29th – 30th September in Uganda, combing our East and South African Networks, EAIDSNet and SACIDS.