The One Health (OH) approach recognizes the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health, and calls for collaborative efforts across these sectors to tackle complex and emerging health threats. In Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), however, significant gaps remain ineffective in the implementation of this approach particularly in the areas of education, workforce development, and coordination between institutions.
The Quadripartite organizations (FAO, WHO, WOAH, and UNEP), in collaboration with the One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP), have identified education as a key area for advancing OH. Strengthening competencies and building a well-trained, multidisciplinary workforce is essential for regional and global preparedness and response to health challenges.

Recent findings from Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) study (Yussuf et al., 2025) 1. also highlight these gaps. The study reports limited awareness of existing OH programs, a lack of harmonized competency frameworks, and insufficient institutional collaboration in the region
The COHESA-Quadripartite joint training on OH resources, tools, and training was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, over five days in March 2025.

The Tripartite (FAO, WHO, WOAH) have developed and piloted the "Workforce development for effective management of zoonotic diseases Operational Tool (WFD OT)2 of the Tripartite Zoonoses Guide (TZG) to support countries in planning and strengthening a multisectoral workforce for effective zoonotic disease management. This guide provides practical steps, resources, and tools to enhance the country’s workforce's capabilities.

Additionally, the COHESA project has developed a Global One Health Search Tool (GOHST)3, an innovative and searchable online catalogue featuring over 100 OH e-learning courses providing easy access to the online training courses on OH, strengthening OH skills in Eastern and Southern Africa. The workshop aimed to introduce Quadripartite WFD OT training modules 1-3, facilitate sustainable workforce development planning, introduction to OH monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and develop action plans for utilizing WFD-OT and GOHST databases to strengthen OH capacity at both governmental and higher education levels. Twenty-five participants (F: 8, M: 17) from 12 COHESA countries attended, representing academia and government. Thirteen facilitators drawn from Quadripartite organizations, COHESA, and ILRI, supported the sessions. The expected outcomes of the workshop included: awareness of the WFD-OT, competent use of WFD-OT and GOHST databases to access trainings, resources, tools to enhance OH education within academia and OH workforce, awareness of the Tripartite Monitoring and evaluation for effective management of zoonotic diseases operational tool (M&E OT)4, and development of action plans on how each country wishes to utilize the training provided at this workshop.