One Health Project
In 2009, a European Commission evaluation mission identified an urgent need to further applied epidemiological skills in human and animal health within South Asia. In 2010, the World Bank approved a plan from Massey University to implement a two-phase program to develop a capacity-building program to strengthen responses to outbreaks of major zoonotic diseases in South Asia. To achieve this goal, the One Health Network-South Asia was created to enhance in-country and regional capacity in epidemiology and bio security. The One Health Network-South Asia forms a foundation for collaboration, resource sharing and communication between public health, domestic animal health and wildlife health professionals. The existence of this network is facilitating the development of effective disease surveillance activities, contributing towards reducing the risk of disease incursions, and enhancing the response to emerging infectious diseases in the South Asia region. As part of the second phase of this program the SAARC countries establish eleven epidemiological Collaborative Investigation Projects focused on national zoonotic disease priorities in their countries. These CIPs are epidemiological projects that are focused on the national disease priorities, critical needs and key constraints identified after consultation with each country. Implementations of two highly successful CIPs were in our country were enhancing rabies control program and evaluation of one effectiveness of One Health Approach to the Zoonosis Management in Bhutan between Human and Animal Health. Descriptive Data analysis workshop using Epinfo was held in September 2013 and was attended by the staff of Department of Livestock, Department of Public Health and by Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority The National One Health Symposium in Bhutan was organized jointly by the National Centre for Animal Health; Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests; and the Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health for three days (18th-20th November 2013) in Phuentsholing and was attended by 40 officials from Department of Livestock, Department of Public Health, Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority, Department of Medical Services, College of Natural Resources and Royal Institute of Health Sciences. The South Asia Regional One Health Symposium was hosted by the Royal Government of Bhutan, as the concluding event of the Regional Training Program on Epidemiology and Bio security for South Asia, funded by the European Commission through the Avian and Human Influenza Trust Fund, administered by the World Bank. Massey University, New Zealand, is the implementing organization.