Role of Community Engagement in One Health Initiatives

Explore the role of community engagement in One Health initiatives, emphasizing the socio-economic aspects. Discuss the potential impact of community involvement on preventing and managing zoonotic diseases.

One Health is a holistic approach to health that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental well-being. Community engagement is central to the success of One Health initiatives.

This blog post explores the pivotal role of community involvement in One Health initiatives, with a special emphasis on its socio-economic aspects and the potential impact on preventing and managing zoonotic diseases

Role of Community Engagement in One Health Initiatives

In simple definition, According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CD) stated that “One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach—working at the local, regional, national, and global levels—with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.”

Based on the research conducted by CIRAD, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC), and International Development Enterprise (iDE) through the ZooCov project in Cambodia in 2021, the local government and community people are living in close proximity to domestic and wild animals and the surrounding nature. These individuals are the most vulnerable to the risks of zoonotic disease transmission but can also potentially be key contributors to the success of the One Health initiative. 

 

Fig. 1: Picture taken during the ZooCov project in Cambodia (2021)

 

Community engagement is essential for One Health initiatives to be successful. It can help to disseminate knowledge about zoonotic diseases, early detection of potential outbreaks, promote behavioral changes to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission (reduce the direct interaction between human and wildlife such as hunting, consuming, and trading them), and mobilize resources for the implementation of preventive measures. 

Community involvement in One Health initiatives can have a positive socio-economic impact, including: safeguarding livelihoods by protecting the health of livestock and ensuring food security; reducing healthcare costs by preventing disease; ensuring food safety; building economic resilience; and fostering social cohesion.

One Health is a community-driven movement with the potential to shape the future of global health and well-being. Community engagement is essential to the success of One Health initiatives, and empowering communities to actively participate in disease prevention can have a significant socio-economic impact. As we navigate the complex web of health challenges, we must recognize the transformative power of communities working hand in hand to create a healthier, more resilient world.

In this great project, BCOMING, the iDE team’s are tasked to use Human-Centered Design to assess socio-economic risk factors, including wildlife trade and contribute to the assessment and evaluation of the existing surveillance systems. 

 

Source: 

Posted on

Read more blog post

BCOMING - Bats ectoparasites study

The BCOMING project aims to conduct a thorough evaluation of biodiversity across various anthropogenic gradients and scales. In Cambodia, the scientific team is focusing on the bat interface as a key component, not only to assess zoonotic risk but also to understand broader ecological dynamics. Among the features being evaluated are the communities of bats' ectoparasites, which play important roles in bats’ ecosystem health and disease transmission dynamics between them. Bats harbor a diverse array of ectoparasites, including fleas, flies, ticks, and mites for examples, and are an integral part to the intricate relationships between them, their hosts, and the environment. Despite being often overlooked, these ectoparasites appear to be essential ecological components and can serve as indicators of ecosystem health. While poorly understood, these ectoparasites, through occasional changes of host, could facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases within bat colonies. Two families, Streblidae and Nycteribiidae, stand out for their unique adaptations and behaviors within the bat ecosystem.

Read more

Bridging the Gap

Mammals, a vital component of terrestrial ecosystems, are facing drastic declines due to anthropogenic changes in landscapes. With many species secluded in protected areas and facing extreme conservation status, there is a growing need for rapid, cost-effective, and noninvasive methods to monitor their populations. Within BCOMING, it is important that we use the most accurate techniques to establish biodiversity assessment as it is a core component in our research on pathogen circulation. Our team at Université de Liège in Belgium, consisting of Dr Pauline van Leeuwen and Prof. Johan Michaux, delves into the scientific literature for non-invasive methods to detect mammalian species in the field. They published the first scientific article supported by the BCOMING consortium. This study compares conventional survey methods and the emerging environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding technique for mammal biodiversity assessment.

Read more

Unraveling Cambodia's biodiversity tapestry

In the heart of Southeast Asia lies Cambodia, a country teeming with biodiversity that has long captivated the imaginations of scientists and conservationists alike. Nestled within this rich tapestry of ecosystems, a dedicated research team from Université de Liège embarks on an exciting journey to unravel the mysteries of Cambodia's wildlife microbiome at the human-animal interface. Our team at Université de Liège in Belgium, consisting of Dr Pauline van Leeuwen and Prof. Johan Michaux, is leading the microbiome component of the BCOMING project. We aim to improve our knowledge of the influence of biodiversity and on microbiomes structure and zoonotic risks.
Read more
Read our blogs, news and events