An Introductory One Health Short Course On : Wildlife Health and The Human-Animal-Environmental Interface

Lope National Park, GABON, 13-24 AUGUST 2012

From 13th to 24th August 2012, an introductory One Health short course: Wildlife Health and the human-Animal-Environment Interface took place in Lope National Park in Gabon. The training was organized by AU-IBAR in partnership with USAID/RESPOND West Congo. Representatives from Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon and participants representing AU-IBAR, USAID.RESPOND, TRG, CIRMF, Maryland University (USA), USAID/PREDICT attended the training. This training brought together experts from Animal Health, Human Health and Wildlife departments.

The training was officially opened on 13th August in the NOMAD Hotel in Libreville by H.E. Jean-Firmin KOUMAZOCK , General Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development, and the H.E. Eric D. Benjaminson, Ambassador of the USA accredited in Gabon and the representative of AU-IBAR, Dr. Hiver Boussini.

Following fruitful deliberations, the participants agreed on the following:

Recommendations

To the Governments of the Republic of Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Gabon:

• To establish an institutional framework for a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary approach to promote the "ONE HEALTH" concept;
• To develop and ensure the protected areas management plan using the participatory approach;
• To fund development of biodiversity conservation activities for the benefit of the local population;
• To establish a network of epidemiological surveillance of wildlife in protected areas;
• To strengthen the human resources capabilities of animal and human health services in protected areas;
• To strengthen the technical capacity of local actors (medical officers, veterinarians, wildlife specialists, environmentalists ) operating in protected areas;
• To take legal and regulatory texts for conflict management at Human-Wildlife-Animal in the protected areas;
• To encourage the recruitment of local populations among eco guards and any other activities in protected areas;
• To maintain the core of national experts who participated in this introductory training of LOPE on "One Health" for future training to sustain the gains.

To the international and / or development partners:

• To provide technical support to Member States in the establishment of an institutional framework for the promotion of "ONE HEALTH";
• To maintain the core of national experts who participated in the introductory training of the LOPE "One Health" for future training to sustain the gains.

Resolution

Participants agree to implement in their respective countries, a framework for multisectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration for sharing information among experts and the promotion of "ONE HEALTH".