Global One Health News

Workshop highlights plan to improve veterinary curriculum standards in Ethiopia

The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Gondar College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences organized the Ethiopian Veterinary Education National Action Plan implementation workshop in Addis Ababa aimed at enhancing the 2020 Nationality Harmonized Veterinary Curriculum. The workshop, attended by all 18 veterinary colleges offering Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs in Ethiopia, focused on continuing to improve veterinary education quality by aligning it with World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) competencies.

“Strengthening curriculum and meeting Day 1 competencies is critical to build and sustain a high quality global framework that will lead to saving lives of animals and humans,” said Wondwossen Gebreyes, GOHi executive director. “Thank you to Armando Hoet, Amanda Berrian and all the veterinary medicine leadership at our partner institutes, including Achenef Melaku Beyene and Seleshe Woldegebreal, and many more, for your leadership.”

Building Mpox detection capacity in Ethiopia

Recognizing Mpox as a global threat, Ethiopia has taken proactive steps to prevent the spread of disease both inside the country and at its borders. Increased surveillance at entry points, enhancing the ability to diagnose Mpox and providing training to healthcare professionals to recognize and manage cases, has kept the disease at bay. Improving laboratory capabilities for the detection and prevention of the fast-spreading virus has been recognized as a key component of the national health response strategy and aligns with ongoing efforts to improve health security and surveillance systems nationwide.

The Global One Health initiative, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, conducted Mpox molecular detection training to enhance the diagnostic skills of eight laboratory professionals from regional public health laboratories. By targeting the improvement of national preparedness for Mpox PCR testing, this training aims to strengthen surveillance efforts and equip laboratory personnel with critical skills necessary for accurate testing and laboratory safety protocols.

GOHi evaluates causes between vaccines and adverse events

The Global One Health initiative (GOHi) is assisting the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) in assessing adverse events following immunization, particularly focusing on the novel Oral Poliovirus Vaccine type 2. A team of 28 health professionals conducted a causality assessment in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, in early April, evaluating 11 adverse events – 10 associated with nOPV2 and one with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine reported from recent vaccination campaigns.

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:

• Sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Ethiopia: Results of the National Population Based Survey, 2021
• The Impact of Training Intervention on Levels of Indicator Bacteria and Prevalence of Selected Pathogens in Raw Milk From Smallholder Women Dairy Farmers in Central Ethiopia
• Prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter species among diarrheal patients from three major hospitals in Ethiopia
• A Proposed Framework for Ranking and Prioritizing Food Safety Risks in Low Resource Settings Using Foodborne Disease Burden Metrics: A Case Study in Ethiopia