The Afrique One consortium was codesigned and launched in 2009 with multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional partners as a long-term investment in research capacity and collaboration building to address a range of health risks that arise from complex human, animal and environmental interactions (e.g. Ebola, rabies, neglected tropical diseases, avian influenza, brucellosis, Rift Valley fever) applying a One Health approach.
Thanks to networks in the research and policy communities established in Africa, this approach is gaining recognition in science and society including national and international policy and programmes.
Afrique One has catalysed the growth of a new generation of researchers and practitioners who are trying and testing the implementation of this transdisciplinary approach based on the needs of Africa. This “adds value to health systems and benefits the health, well-being and livelihoods of people,” says Professor Bassirou Bonfoh, associated researcher at Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire, who leads the Afrique One initiative.
A renewed third phase with a larger scope – the Afrique One-Research Excellence for African Challenges of in Health (REACH) – met in Arusha (United Republic of Tanzania) from 1 to 7 February 2024, to assemble the 20 Master’s level, 32 PhD level and 9 postdoctoral fellows, their supervisors, mentors and the Scientific Advisory Board. The range of research areas over the next 4 years seeks cover three thematic training programmes on (i) emerging and endemic zoonoses; (ii) neglected tropical diseases; and (iii) chronic noncommunicable diseases; and two cross-cutting programmes on (iv) collective action and behavioural change; and (v) data science, statistics and modelling.
Postdoctoral fellows enthusiastically coach younger fellows on how they encountered One Health. These are some of their insights:
“You do not need to be a specialist in everything, but you do need to collaborate with other disciplines to sustainably solve complex problems. You cannot see yourself in isolation when you think of, for example, antimicrobial resistance: someone else’s problem is your problem too,” adds Dr Helena Dela, Afrique One Postdoctoral fellow.
Although many still equate the One Health with medics and vets, the approach goes far beyond that. “We have many tools and interventions, but when communities are not participating in solving complex problems, then their uptake is low. Add in a sociologist and an economist to teams that address the problems together, then we have recorded higher engagement and uptake,” says Professor Gilbert Fokou, social scientist and leader of the research group working on collective action for behavioural change.
Afrique One-REACH is supported by a consortium of donors including the Science Foundation for Africa, the Wellcome Trust and UKaid.