One Health: Lessons Learned from East Africa
- Authors: Dominic A. Travis1, David W. Chapman2, Meggan E. Craft3, John Deen4, MacDonald W. Farnham5, Carolyn Garcia6, William D. Hueston7, Richard Kock8, Michael Mahero9, Lawrence Mugisha10, Serge Nzietchueng11, Felicia B. Nutter12, Debra Olson13, Amy Pekol14, Katharine M. Pelican15, Cheryl Robertson16, Innocent B. Rwego17
- Editors: Ronald M. Atlas19, Stanley Maloy20
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VIEW AFFILIATIONS HIDE AFFILIATIONSAffiliations: 1: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 2: Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455; 3: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 4: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 5: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 6: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455; 7: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 8: Department of Pathology & Infectious Diseases, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom; 9: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 10: Department of Wildlife and Resource Management, Makerere University College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Kampala, Uganda; 11: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 12: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536; 13: School of Public Health, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455; 14: Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455; 15: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 16: School of Nursing, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455; 17: Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108; 18: Department of Biological Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; 19: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY; 20: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
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Received 07 December 2012 Accepted 25 February 2013 Published 31 January 2014
- Correspondence: Dominic A. Travis, [email protected]

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Abstract:
Africa is faced with many of the most daunting challenges of our time. It comprises roughly 15% of the world’s human population, and most of its countries are perpetually ranked “Low” on the United Nations’ Human Development Index. On the other hand, Africa has arguably the largest proportion of intact natural ecosystems, biodiversity, and sociocultural capital and the lowest impact on global warming of any continent. Thus, African leaders are faced with competing demands and values among a multitude of complex issues, such as high human population growth, extreme poverty, food insecurity, land use policy, climate change, and biodiversity conservation. In this context, building sustainable national systems for human and/or animal health is one of the grand challenges of this generation. Today’s complex global health and development challenges require long-term commitment and a range of approaches that are too broad for any one discipline, institution, or country to implement on its own. The One Health concept recognizes the interconnectedness of global health issues and, as such, promotes the importance of and need for international, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral communication and collaboration at local, national, and international levels. By taking advantage of natural cultural tendencies for shared leadership, resource allocation, and community values, African leaders are currently proactively demonstrating the principles of One Health, and thus becoming a model for this global vision. And by focusing on partnerships rather than donor-recipient relationships, they are fostering the development of shared priorities and are increasingly driving their own health agenda to fulfill their own needs.
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Citation: Travis D, Chapman D, Craft M, Deen J, Farnham M, Garcia C, Hueston W, Kock R, Mahero M, Mugisha L, Nzietchueng S, Nutter F, Olson D, Pekol A, Pelican K, Robertson C, Rwego I. 2014. One Health: Lessons Learned from East Africa. Microbiol Spectrum 2(1):OH-0017-2012. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.OH-0017-2012.




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Abstract:
Africa is faced with many of the most daunting challenges of our time. It comprises roughly 15% of the world’s human population, and most of its countries are perpetually ranked “Low” on the United Nations’ Human Development Index. On the other hand, Africa has arguably the largest proportion of intact natural ecosystems, biodiversity, and sociocultural capital and the lowest impact on global warming of any continent. Thus, African leaders are faced with competing demands and values among a multitude of complex issues, such as high human population growth, extreme poverty, food insecurity, land use policy, climate change, and biodiversity conservation. In this context, building sustainable national systems for human and/or animal health is one of the grand challenges of this generation. Today’s complex global health and development challenges require long-term commitment and a range of approaches that are too broad for any one discipline, institution, or country to implement on its own. The One Health concept recognizes the interconnectedness of global health issues and, as such, promotes the importance of and need for international, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral communication and collaboration at local, national, and international levels. By taking advantage of natural cultural tendencies for shared leadership, resource allocation, and community values, African leaders are currently proactively demonstrating the principles of One Health, and thus becoming a model for this global vision. And by focusing on partnerships rather than donor-recipient relationships, they are fostering the development of shared priorities and are increasingly driving their own health agenda to fulfill their own needs.

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