Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, July 10, 2015 - The second module of the One Health Leadership Series, launched in November 2014, was held in Runaway Bay, Jamaica on June 23rd to 26th. Thirty two leaders from the health, agriculture and environment sectors of twelve Caribbean countries took part in the module, with the theme “Interconnectivity for Food Safety and Food Security”.
The series is organized and coordinated by the project “One Health, One Caribbean, One Love” that is funded by the European Union ACP Secretariat. PAHO is a collaborator in the project, which is managed by the University of the West Indies.
The Leadership Series is co-sponsored by the Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), under their 10th EDF project “Support to the Forum of Caribbean States in the implementation of the commitments undertaken under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA): Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS).” The Leadership Series, whose objective is to form a sustainable One Health network, will conduct four modules over two years. Besides attending the modules, the leaders are working in intersectoral teams to develop and manage small One Health projects in each of the twelve participating countries.
The second module combined technical presentations on food security, nutritional security, and social determinants of food safety with leadership development sessions. The leaders participated in problem based field trips, after which they conducted a One Health analysis to compare and contrast intensive with organic fruit and vegetable production, and aquaculture with sustainable fisheries management. Leadership development sessions were provided by Dr. Roderick King of the Florida Institute for Health Innovation, and One Health facilitation by Professor Craig Stephen of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and the University of Saskatchewan.
During the workshop, the country teams collaborated with their mentors to further develop their projects that address One Health issues in their countries. The country teams have developed a wide variety of innovative projects, addressing diverse issues such as childhood obesity (Grenada), nutritional anemia (Dominica), pesticide control (Haiti), control of Vector Borne Diseases (St. Lucia), antimicrobial resistance and residues in poultry (Barbados and Belize), and solid waste management (Guyana). The participants were trained in how to develop a logical framework and applied this training to their own project proposals. Project implementation is expected to begin in September 2015.
The third module in the Series “Environment and Health” will be held in Guyana from December 1st to 4th, 2015.
