One Health, a collaborative approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health is gaining momentum globally. By addressing emerging and re-emerging complex health challenges like Emerging Infectious Diseases, Climate Change and Biodiversity loss and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), One Health aims to improve the well-being for all. Tanzania is at the forefront of this movement, with Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) playing a pivotal role in fostering a One Health approach in the country.
SUA’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) is nurturing a new generation of One Health leaders through Students One Health Innovations Club (SOHIC). Under the supervision of experienced faculty, the students are actively involved in a government-backed activity through the Africa One Health University Network (AFROHUN) Tanzania, One health Workforce-Next Generation (OHW-NG Project) to Support the government of Tanzania to undertake One Health human resource mapping in human, animal and environmental health sectors. To undertake this important activity, members of SUA-SOHIC recently conducted the mapping by interviewing various human resources in human, animal, and environmental sectors (both public and private) around the city of Morogoro and Mvomero district. The mapping will help identify existing human resource gaps and opportunities for collaboration to effectively address health threats at the interface of these sectors. The information collected in these mapping surveys will be fed into the development of a national One Health Human Resource Strategy, which was critical for benchmarking capacities and integrating human, animal, and environmental health sectors to effectively manage and respond to health threats.
One of the leaders of SUA-SOHIC, a third-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine student, shared her insights into the experience: “I learned how to communicate well with people from different age groups and sectors, and how to work as a team. This experience helped me understand the roles of various stakeholders in One Health, and I’m now more aware of its impact on the community,” said Costancia Aloyce Genes.
A second-year student, pursuing Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and Laboratory Sciences (BLS) highlighted the importance of tackling health issues at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. “This project is helping me to apply my classroom knowledge to real-world challenges and become a champion for One Health practices,” noted Josephine Mollel.
Nickson Tarimo, a second-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine student, expressed his enthusiasm for his involvement in the initiative. “Being part of this initiative is equipping me with essential transferable skills like survey data collection and report writing, preparing me for a successful scientific career,” he said.
“My confidence in interacting with new people has grown. I now better understand how different disciplines contribute to One Health, and how One Health can address many societal issues,” reflected a fifth-year Veterinary Medicine student, Albina Pius Bayo.
Dr. Abubakar Hoza, a faculty at CVMBS, is providing expert guidance and mentorship to the SOHIC team at SUA. His expertise in One Health principles and as AFROHUN Continuous Professional Development Programs lead is invaluable in fostering a deeper understanding of One Health principles and practices among the SOHIC team in the ongoing OH mapping survey.
CVMBS is proud to be at the forefront of One Health education and research. Through the efforts of its dedicated students and faculty, CVMBS is making a significant contribution to improving the health and well-being of communities both locally and globally.
