IDOS and GIZ jointly represented at 8th World One Health Congress in Cape Town

At the 8th World One Health Congress in Cape Town, IDOS, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), facilitated a session on implementing innovative One Health governance. 80 participants discussed how to overcome obstacles in cross-sector cooperation.

Dr Christoph Strupat opened the session by presenting a pivotal IDOS scoping review on One Health Governance Platforms in low and lower middle-income countries. This presentation set the stage for a dynamic panel discussion that featured esteemed experts including Dr Yewande Alimi (One Health Lead at Africa CDC), Dr Chadia Wannous (One Health Lead at the World Organisation of Animal Health), and Dr Sandul Yasobant (Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Public Health). Dr. Ruth Schumacher, Head of Global Programme One Health at GIZ, adeptly moderated and co-hosted the session.

The panellists collectively emphasised that the adoption of One Health is a complex, ongoing process. They highlighted the critical need for improved coordination across sectors to foster lasting impacts. They emphasised the importance of establishing clear protocols for efficient information exchange between ministries and sectors to enhance communication. Additionally, they recommended decentralising authority to diminish the dominance of health ministries and promote broader cross-sector collaboration. Another crucial point was the need to secure and expand funding, especially in vital areas such as combating antimicrobial resistance. Lastly, they discussed the importance of addressing capacity gaps to strengthen cross-sector cooperation and ensure the effectiveness of these initiatives.