YEAR FOUR QUARTERLY REPORT: Emerging Pandemic Threats Program

Agency for International Development (USAID), supports One Health initiatives in Africa and Southeast Asia. The project's primary goal is to strengthen networks and upgrade training for students and faculty of member institutions. In Quarter Three of Year Four (April 1 to June 30, 2013), RESPOND continued its support to One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA) and Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN). OHCEA, with 14 member schools of Public Health and Veterinary Medicine in six countries, focused on promoting One Health throughout the region. The Secretariat is located in Kampala, Uganda, and the regional office in Uganda supported the implementation of activities. RESPOND/Kampala collaborated with WHO-AFRO and other key partners to promote One Health. In Africa, the Kampala Regional Office supported OHCEA's efforts to enrich the student experience. Makerere University conducted trans-disciplinary field studies involving 50 veterinary, nursing, and public health students and faculty. The studies took place from April 14th to May 11th and aimed to integrate One Health principles into the curriculum. In Southeast Asia, SEAOHUN conducted pre-service and in-service training, focusing on establishing its National Coordinating Offices (NCOs). In-service training included courses on participatory epidemiology, outbreak response, and disease surveillance. SEAOHUN also supported the establishment of NCOs in Thailand and Vietnam, provided training on sub-award management, and reviewed and approved country-level activity proposals. Both OHCEA and SEAOHUN engaged in joint activities, including sending participants to the University of Minnesota's Public Health Institute and Tufts University's Environmental Literary Institute. These events provided opportunities for representatives to deepen their understanding of One Health and learn ways to incorporate new concepts into coursework. The quarter also saw significant activity to prepare for the beta-testing simulation exercise in Uganda, conducted in coordination with WHO AFRO in July. The global map displays the areas where RESPOND currently works, with Regional Hub Offices located in Kampala (Uganda), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), and Bangkok (Thailand).