Global One Health News

Applying the Brighton Collaboration Case Definition for causality assessment

Applying standardized case definitions is crucial to enhancing the ability to accurately assess the causality of Adverse Events Following Vaccinations (AEFIs) and contributing to vaccine safety monitoring. In collaboration with the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA), the Ohio State University Global One Health initiative (GOHi) recently provided two days of training on Brighton Collaboration case definitions to members of the national Pharmacovigilance Advisory Committee and experts from the EFDA and selected hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Narrowing the know-do gap in infection prevention

Introducing new concepts and consistently implementing them is a difficult task in the hectic working environment of healthcare facilities. This is even more difficult in teaching institutions where the workforce shifts regularly. The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) project that GOHi is implementing in Ethiopia has tackled these challenges since its launch in February 2022. This project emphasizes defining the role of healthcare workers in circumventing the immediate and long-term impact of AMR.

GOHi supports COVID-19 service integration into the routine health system

Incorporating COVID-19 responses into the broader health system strengthens emergency preparedness and response capacities, enhancing resilience against future pandemics and health emergencies. In partnership with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, GOHi conducted a workshop on developing a comprehensive guide for integrating COVID-19 service delivery into the routine health system. This integration allows for more efficient utilization of resources – such as workforce, logistics and infrastructure – reducing redundancy and improving overall healthcare delivery.

Improving influenza surveillance in Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute, in collaboration with GOHi, recently organized an annual review meeting on severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and influenza-like illnesses (ILI) surveillance. This landmark event aims to strengthen national and international efforts on influenza surveillance by introducing a national SARI/ILI surveillance protocol, evaluating national and site-level performance and assessing the performance of regional influenza testing laboratories.

Recent GOHi publications

The GOHi team continuously works to address the spread of disease, promote health and emphasize the connection among humans, animals and the environment. One way GOHi does this is through research. Read some of the latest projects the team has worked on:

• "Regional and temporal variations in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Ethiopia: Lessons learned from the COVID-19 enhanced surveillance and response"
• "Applicability of selected Brighton Collaboration case definitions in low-resource settings: A prospective hospital-based active surveillance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
• "Factors Associated with Uptake of Routine Measles-Containing Vaccine Doses among Young Children, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, 2021"
• "Laboratory capacity expansion: lessons from establishing molecular testing in regional referral laboratories in Ethiopia"

External news

WOAH releases guidance on wildlife trade

The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) recently released “Guidelines for Addressing Disease Risks in Wildlife Trade” in response to a “need to better manage risks from emerging diseases at the human–animal–environment interface, while protecting wildlife, through a One Health approach.” This document is especially timely considering the celebration of World Zoonoses Day, a day that seeks to spread awareness of the impact of zoonotic diseases on humans and animals and how to prevent them, on July 6.