Capacity building
The following chapter was authored by the Sectoral Department (FMB) in particular by the units 4B30 Health and Social Security and 4D Rural Development, Food Security.
Why capacity building?
The One Health approach is often unknown in practice or not well understood and mainly human-centered
- as there is a lack of One Health practitioners: Technical & methodological One Health competencies are required
- an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral training and programs need to fill these gaps especially on the animal and environmental health side
“One of the key approaches to achieve global health security is by building a multidisciplinary public health workforce that is well trained and fully equipped to counter infectious disease threats and that eliminate the current global barriers that exist because of disciplinary silos.”
Amuguni et al 2019
What can capacity building be used for?
One Health training can help foster a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to addressing complex health challenges. This can lead to improved communication, coordination, and cooperation among stakeholders, as well as a greater willingness to adopt evidence-based strategies and best practices for implementing One Health strategies and projects.
- generate a common understanding of One Health concepts and their relevance in the context of development cooperation
- introduce basic concepts of the interlinkages between human health, animal health and environmental health
- increase the understanding of the origin, context and drivers of international health threats (infectious disease, food safety, AMR, land use etc.) at the human, animal and environment interface
- raise awareness and sensitise participants to the importance of intersectoral collaboration and the trans-disciplinary methodology of the One Health approach for addressing complex health challenges
- foster awareness of the benefits of using the One Health approach
- strengthen the capacity of participants to apply One Health approaches in their work: technical and managerial skills (‘One Health Core Competences’)
- improve collaboration, coordination and cooperation between different sectors and stakeholders involved in One Health efforts
- building capacity of participants in risk communication and community engagement to increase the effectiveness of One Health interventions
What does effective OH-CB look like?
Target Groups
Professionals of different specialities and responsibilities at local, national, regional or international level (e.g., training for national or local OH committees, ministries, national and regional authorities, international organisations, NGOs).
Universities Integration of One Health competencies into the education of various disciplines (Development of curricula and summer schools for Schools of Public Health, Veterinary Medicine and Environmental Science) is crucial to address public health needs and train a skilled workforce.
Community Raising awareness of One Health and inducing behavioural change in communities is also crucial (One Health training/sensitization with focus on e.g., food safety, farming, land use, WASH).
Useful to bring together different target groups: e.g., community representatives can reflect on the impact certain One Health activities can have in their communities, how they would be perceived, and which communication channels are effective. This will help decision-makers.
Regardless of the target group addressed, it is indispensable to design capacity building in an interdisciplinary way and to have as many disciplines represented as possible.
Training Curriculum
Although One Health practitioners differ greatly in their professional expertise, scope of responsibility and influence, One Health core competencies play an important role for all One Health practitioners. These One Health core competencies can be completed by specific technical One Health competencies depending on the One Health practitioner.
Basic introduction to One Health concepts: Interlinkages between human health, animal health and environment health
Core competences
- management and leadership
- (risk) communication
- culture, beliefs, values & ethics
- collaboration, partnership, coordination, cooperation, community involvement
- change management
- conflict resolution
- systems thinking
Technical Competences
- monitoring
- laboratory methods
- outbreak investigation and response, epidemiology
- surveillance and response systems
- infectious disease management
- ecosystem health
- risk analysis
Basic introduction to One Health concepts: Interlinkages between human health, animal health and environmental health
- self-learning, use of video and audio tools
- group activities: Discussions, role plays, brainstorming
- case studies and field visits (slaughterhouses, livestock farms, markets and trade centres for animal products, waste management centres)
- simulations
Training should be practical and based on real examples from the local context. The following methodological approaches are recommended:
- modules must be adapted to local, (inter-)national context, health strategies and priorities.
- modules should be complemented with examples from the target region that are suitable for an OH approach.
Capacity building: Practical implementation
There are numerous external providers that address different target groups for One Health training in various products: free and paid e-learning, MOOCs, short courses, summer schools, and master’s degree programs. Many of the free courses are suitable for a first autodidactic introduction to the topic, but for a more in-depth understanding, tailor-made face-to-face offers are indispensable.
A model tender for tailor-made face-to-face training can be found here.
A selection of online and face-to-face training courses can be found here and by clicking on the icons below:
Online courses, case studies, toolkits, facilitators guides, webinars:
Facilitators guides for 16 modules including presentations:
More specific courses like outbreak investigation etc.:
Desk top study: „Overview of capacity building opportunities in One Health“
Capacity building as project component:
“Recommended to cooperate directly or through the networks of AFROHUN, SACIDS, OHRECA with the Universities that are engaging in One Health and assist them to improve this engagement.”
If you need support in planning or implementing One Health Capacity Building, the FMB is happy to support you
Case Studies
Case Studies from practice “Rabies Control Project”
| project/ institution | GIZ Technical Advisors, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Mission Rabies, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, National Animal Health and Production Research Institute (NAHPRI) |
| problem statement | rabies is a classic neglected zoonotic disease which inflicts a constant economic and social burden on poor communities but is rarely under surveillance, incidents and impact are largely unknown, awareness remains low, proven measures for prevention and control are not prioritised |
| approach | supporting the Cambodian government to implement a rabies prevention and control strategy – including Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM), mass dog vaccination, the provision of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to bite victims, laboratory diagnostics, and awareness raising measures – jointly within both the animal and human health sectors using risk assessment algorithm and an IBCM app, the aim is to facilitate the implementation of these activities using existing governmental structures only |
| capacity Building methods | IBCM app is the first step toward a shared information system for rabies surveillance; building government staff capacity; integration of cross-sectoral activities into ministry activities e.g., PEP integration into emergency services; development of a massive open online course (MOOC) for schoolteachers for awareness raising |
| results and Impact | IBCM app is first step toward a shared information system for rabies surveillance; building government staff capacity; integration of cross-sectoral activities into ministry activities e.g., PEP integration into emergency services; development of a massive open online course (MOOC) for schoolteachers for awareness raising |
| collaboration and partnerships | GIZ Technical Advisors, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Mission Rabies, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, National Animal Health and Production Research Institute (NAHPRI) |
| lessons learned and recommendations | One Health challenges require intersectoral cooperation and coordination at all levels – not only between animal and human health systems, but with the environmental side as well. |
Case Studies “Training of Regional One Health commission”
| project / institution | implementation of a 5-day training in Bukavu to provide general knowledge of the One Health concept and convey the implications that result for management, communication, leadership, culture and ethical values, collaboration and systems thinking; 30 participants from various state and non-state organisations, members of the South Kivu provincial One Health commission; training language French |
| problem statement | members of the newly formed regional One Health committee had little knowledge of the OH approach and were not aware of how this approach could help in their context. |
| approach | implementation of a 5-day training in Bukavu in order to provide general knowledge of the One Health concept and convey the implications that result for management, communication, leadership, culture and ethical values, collaboration and systems thinking; 30 participants from various state and non-state organizations, members of the South Kivu provincial One Health commission; training language French |
| capacity building methods | Theory, group work, case studies, field visit to slaughterhouse (incl. stakeholder interviews) |
| results and impact | OH experienced through field visit. During workshop, risks were already identified, and mitigation strategies considered; AFROHUN gained as a reliable partner; Addressing the partners correctly; Motivation promoted in the committee; Appreciation for the topic increased |
| collaboration and partnerships | African OneHealth University Network (AFROHUN) DRC |
| lessons learned and recommendations | rapid implementation and French as training language challenging: need for products and training materials with GIZ identified financial resources in partner country for OH very limited |
Case study – University example
| project / institution | Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases (DVTD), University of Pretoria, South Africa |
| problem statement | traditional disciplinary boundaries were insufficient to effectively address the emerging health challenges like zoonotic diseases, emerging infectious diseases, and environmental health issues; a holistic approach was needed to understand and address these interconnections. |
| approach | establishment of the University of Pretoria’s One Health capacity building program including the One Health Platform (OHP); MSc in Global One Health as a joint degree program offered by the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp, Belgium, and the University of Pretoria; combining teaching and research; University of Pretoria One Health (UPOH) network in response to COVID-19 pandemic |
| collaboration & partnerships | university faculty and researchers, students, partner institutions and organisations, government agencies and ministries of health, community and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), international organisations and donors |
| capacity building methods | interdisciplinary curriculum, training workshops and seminars, research, field experiences, collaboration and networking |
| results & impact | enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration and research in the field, holistic understanding of health challenges at the human-animal-environment interface, program’s graduates contribute to the One Health workforce |
| lessons learned & recommendations | interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for addressing complex health challenges, applied research and innovation play a vital role in developing practical solutions |