Gabon and the Republic of Congo strengthen their intersectoral collaboration

More than 150 public health, animal health, and environmental sector agents and managers met in Libreville, Gabon and Kintele, Republic of Congo in June 2022 to build capacity for intersectoral collaboration through two national IHR-PVS workshops organised under the EBO-SURSY project. Eight of the 10 countries targeted by the EBO-SURSY project were able to benefit from these workshops.

Implemented jointly by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) these workshops provide an opportunity for human, animal and environmental health services to share their views on the current level of coordination and collaboration between the three sectors. Additionally, they jointly reviewed the gaps identified by the PVS assessments and the IHR monitoring and evaluation framework, and to build on these results to jointly develop a roadmap to strengthen their zoonotic disease preparedness and control. The step-by-step methodology used an interactive and structured approach with user-friendly materials, case studies, videos and facilitation tools.

The "One Health" approach reminds us that human health cannot be considered alone and that it is intimately linked to animal and ecosystem health

Yacinthe Guigma, Field Coordinator of the EBO-SURSY project - World Organisation for Animal Health

WHO Congo broadcast (in French)

At the end of three days of collaborative work, participants developed a roadmap to improve intersectoral collaboration in the areas of surveillance, response, laboratory, communication and coordination. The activities identified are intended to be integrated into the national public health plan. In the Republic of Congo, the Minister of Health and Population, showing strong political interest in the topic, requested that a task force on the topic be implemented as soon as possible. In Gabon, participants committed to establishing a One Health platform.

Picture courtesy of Sophie Muset (WOAH) 2022

These workshops were organised in collaboration between WOAH and WHO, within the framework of the EBO-SURSY project and co-financed by the European Union.