By Kayitare Jean B.
One Health (OH) is a critical unifying approach that aims to sustainability balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. In the ever changing world and climate change issues as well, it is critical for nations and societies to join forces and work together to achieve the One Health (OH) in a sustainable manner.
The media was identified as a key player in disseminating of information to the public in the more simplified manner usually from the complex scientific terms to the public who are always the end users of it.
To date media has a very important role to playing ensuring better health outcomes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) media outlets play a role in circulating information and increasing awareness about health issues and how improve health among the general public like during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown worldwide. The media also report on health emergencies to influence the public behavior and to hold governments accountable.
According to senior officials at University of Global Health (UGHE) it is important to work together since the world is so interconnected more than ever before, in order to overcome these challenges through One Health since, 70% of all diseases man contracts are transmitted from animals and livestock.
Bibiana Iraki, Senior program officer at Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) project says; “After identifying One Health as an emerging challenge we at COHESA and partners in our member countries we launched the One health project. The project aims at generating an inclusive research and innovation ecosystems that facilitates the uptake, adaptation and adoption of solutions to issues that OH addresses and the media is an important partner.”
Prof. Madeline, UR- SoN says; “The much more the world is interconnected and the growing populations’ the risks of zoonotic diseases, environmental degradation that provides opportunities for new diseases that can spill over from animals to humans, antimicrobial resistance and lack of food security and food safety, it is high time we have a multi-sectoral collaboration.”
The one-day workshop involved participants from across the various sectors, from One Health Experts, Doctors and officials from University of Global Health (UGHE), scientists, researchers, government officials, Ministry of Health (MOH) and members of the media fraternity.
