Press release 2

The pan-African scientific research and capacity building program on the "One Health" approach called Afrique One-ASPIRE held its closing meeting from June 23 to 25, 2022 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire. 

Launched in 2016 with the aim of building the capacity of African researchers and practitioners on the "One Health" approach to better address diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans (zoonoses), Africa One-ASPIRE has trained more than 72 researchers at master, doctoral and postdoctoral levels from different disciplines (epidemiology, social sciences, biology, veterinary sciences, etc.. D. and postdoctoral researchers from various disciplines (epidemiology, social sciences, biology, veterinary sciences, etc.) on the use of the One Health approach in research aimed at the control and elimination of diseases such as rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, mycobacterial infections and nutritional diseases. 

"The One Health approach is the integration of academic and non-academic knowledge from disciplines, sectors and communities that adds value to the societal level (public health, animal health and environmental health). Through this approach, we have been able to access knowledge that would not have been discovered if researchers were working in silos, without the collaboration of other sectors (human, animal, and environmental health) and local communities," said Professor Bassirou Bonfoh, Director of Afrique One-ASPIRE. 

The researchers gathered on this occasion presented the knowledge and advances obtained through the operationalization of the "One Health" approach. These include the development of a low-cost tool for storing rabies vaccine at room temperature, making it possible to conduct vaccination campaigns without electricity in hard-to-reach areas. Also of note are the identification of a new diagnostic tool for tuberculosis, knowledge of the interspecific distribution of brucellosis and means of diagnosis, the establishment of links between infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (diabetes, hypertension) through nutrition and the potential of food types in the management of neglected tropical diseases (e.g. chronic wounds). 

A visit to the Burili Ulcer Treatment Pavilion at Taabo Hospital on the afternoon of June 24, 2022 presented a case study of the application of the "one health" approach to research for the control of Buruli Ulcer, a disease that causes wounds on large areas of the skin. In Taabo, the group of researchers includes sociologists, physicians, economists and nutritionists. Collaboration with communities and authorities has made it possible to understand and deconstruct beliefs related to the disease, to stimulate early referral of patients to the hospital, and to identify foods that can reduce the healing time of wounds. 

The Africa One-ASPIRE research was made possible by funding from a consortium of donors administered by the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA). 

"We are pleased with the work done by the Africa One-ASPIRE researchers. It shows that African researchers are able to achieve great things when there is investment in research and in an environment that is conducive to the management of funds and the practice of science," Alphonsus Neba, Deputy Director of Programs at Science for Africa Foundation. 

About Africa One-ASPIRE 

Africa One-ASPIRE is a pan-African scientific research and capacity building program on the One Health approach. It is supported́ by a consortium of funders including the Science for Africa Foundation and the Wellcome Trust. Through the "one health" approach, Afrique One-ASPIRE has engaged́ transdisciplinary collaborative work between different actors in human, animal and environmental health, policy makers, civil society with the production of nearly 214 scientific articles, a dozen policy briefs and training of nearly 12,000 practitioners on the "one health" approach. The global partnership has enabled African researchers to contribute to significant advances in the understanding of transmission, control and zoonotic diseases. 

Press contact: 

Emmanuel Dabo / Chris-Emilie Akpli 

emmanueldabophd@gmail.com / chrisakpli27@gmail.com 

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