Capacity for One Health research in the Horn of Africa

Abstract

IntroductionIn low-and-middle-income countries, many people live near livestock. Rural livelihoods need improvement, however livestock-sector growth is a ‘wicked’ problem, needing careful management and One Health approaches which balance positive aspects of livestock ownership against deleterious impacts. Materials and methodsA Key Informant survey was delivered to higher education and research institute Units in Horn of Africa, to quantify baseline estimates for One Health research, understand characteristics, and risk factors for usage. Principal resultsFour-fifths of Units acknowledged some One Health research; however, this was biased towards human-focused dimensions including at the human/animal/environment-interface and human/animal-interface; One Health approaches were also more often reported when all or the animal/environment dimensions were examined. We detected subject-bias impacting environment-focus in research; only research-focused Units had staff with higher environmental science degrees. Our work suggested good national research buy-in, and Units engaging with national policy-makers most often; local policy-makers were least engaged. Four-fifths of Units had laboratories, with two-thirds processing either human or animal samples and half processing both. Funding for equipment purchase, supplies and maintenance, staff training on technical/safety issues was nearly half that previously identified. Major conclusionsThe necessity for One Health research approaches is acknowledged, however our results suggest persistent and systemic neglect of the environment in approaches and research staff education, and a lack of integration across government hierarchies during policy-development, potentially driven by international organisation domination. Further, Units lack funding for laboratory equipment purchase/supplies/maintenance, and staff training on technical/safety issues.