The OHSEA project aims to create synergies and consolidate the One Health (OH) initiatives in South East Asia, notably by strengthening its environmental dimension.
The aim is to move towards a shared understanding of the knowledge, representations and values carried in the OH approach by the various key players (citizens, communities, practitioners, researchers, decision- makers); to strengthen the skills of the latter in order to better understand the emergence of infectious diseases and to prevent tomorrow's health crises; and to propose tools to enable the implementation of this integrated approach to the three types of health (human, animal and ecosystem) in the diversity of the social, environmental and economic situations of the countries of South East Asia.
To reflect on the future of One Health in Southeast Asia, a 3 day-conference was organised from the 24th to the 26th of April 2023 in Hanoi, Vietnam. It gathered 91 people involved or linked to the OHSEA dynamic from 12 countries, including 7 in Southeast Asia.
The OHSEA project is co-led by the French National Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the Center for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD) and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). It is also supported by the Francophone University Agency in Asia-Pacific.
The highly-successful conference brought together stakeholders in the One Health field where attendees were provided a platform to engage, exchange ideas and best practices while also planning future collaborative efforts. EURAXESS ASEAN gave a presentation on the funding and partnership opportunities in Europe, most notably on Pillar 2. EURAXESS is also proud to have supported the promotional efforts of this project.
Here are some of the feedback from participants:
“A successful gathering of actors from Southeast Asia and France involved in the implementation of the One Health approach. Academics, representatives of international, regional and national organizations, civil society, regional and international initiatives (such as MOOD, PREZODE, ZODIAC) to reflect on the operationalization of the One Health approach, at the regional level and beyond.
These 3 days of symposium allowed to share experiences, good practices, knowledge, to reflect on challenges and the importance to foster the dialogue between scientists, researchers and public policy makers. Thanks to this workshop, new opportunities of collaboration have been identified which will certainly facilitate better coordination and avoid overlaps”,
- the organizing committee of the OHSEA What’s Next Colloquium
“A great exchange of experiences on One Health implementation in South East Asia. Three days of building a network of contacts to strengthen the One Health approach for the future”,
Paula Caceres, PREZODE Chief Data Officer at INRAE, presenter and facilitator at the colloquium, based in France.
"A great venue to connect with partners to advance One Health agenda in Southeast Asia"
Dr. Vipat Kuruchittham, Executive Director of SEAOHUN Secretariat, based in Thailand.
“As a development researcher, the “OHSEA What's Next?” colloquium was a wonderful
opportunity to connect with other scholars and practitioners working on the complete
spectrum of topics linking the diverse and integrative issue of One Health. Congratulations
to the organisers for such a successful event!”
Marco Haenssgen, Development Researcher and Social Sciences and Development Professor at Chiang Mai University, based in Thailand.
“What's next?"
1. Let us stay connected
2. Expand beyond SEA
3.Support Asian Soil Partnership under FAO Global Soil Partnership: Soils where food begins
One Health SEA begins with Healthy Soils”,
Gina Nilo, Chief Agriculturist at Bureau of Soils and Water Management, presenter at the colloquium, based in The Philippines.
“Inspired, Motivated, mind and wye-opening” Zubaidah Yacob, Researcher and Senior Lecturer at University of Malaya, based in Malaysia.
More on the OHSEA project
The One Health initiative is a collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary approach to human, animal and environmental health that is based on studies at local, national and global levels. Its aim is to understand the mechanisms of emerging or re-emerging diseases, in order to prevent them.
Funders: Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects programme (FSPI), IRD, CNRS.
The objectives of OHSEA:
• To establish a state of the art of environment – zoonoses in South East Asia;
• To contribute to the reinforcement of the skills of students, professionals and decision-makers in a One Health Environment approach (through training in interdisciplinarity and inter-sectoriality)
• To contribute to supporting or consolidating emerging One Health projects in practice;
• To develop tools for accessing data to understand and act through the One Health approach.
This project is also a first step in structuring a research community with a view to setting up actions within the framework of the global PREZODE programme launched at the One Planet Summit in January 2021.