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Establishing a One Health office in Kenya

2014; African Field Epidemiology Network; Volume: 19; Linguagem: Inglês

10.11604/pamj.2014.19.106.4588

1937-8688

Murithi Mbabu, Ian Njeru, Sarah E File, Eric Osoro, Stella Kiambi, Austine Bitek, Peter Ithondeka, Salome Kairu-Wanyoike, Shanaaz Sharif, Eric Gogstad, Francis Gakuya, Kaitlin Sandhaus, Peninah Munyua, Joel M. Montgomery, Robert F. Breiman, Carol Rubin, Kariuki Njenga,

Viral Infections and Vectors

A One Health (OH) approach that integrates human,animal and environmental approaches to management of zoonotic diseases has gained momentum in the last decadeas part of a strategy to prevent and control emerging infectious diseases. However, there are few examples of howan OH approach can be established in a country. Kenya establishment of an OH office, referred to asthe Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU) in 2011. The ZDU bridges theanimal and human health sectors with a senior epidemiologist deployed from each ministry; and agoal of maintaining collaboration at the animal and human health interface towards better prevention and control of zoonoses.The country is adding an ecologist to the ZDU to ensure that environmental risks are adequately addressed in emerging disease control.