One Health Units for Humans, Environment, Animals and Livelihoods (HEAL)
Transmission of diseases between humans and animals are frequent in pastoralist societies of Somalia, Ethiopia and Northern Kenya and related to environmental conditions. The HEAL project promotes sustainable rangeland management and access to integrated human/livestock health services. Thereby, it contributes to improved health, to reduced vulnerability among pastoralist communities and to prevention of their displacement/migration, which is in the interest of Switzerland.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Horn of Africa |
Health Agriculture & food security
Primary health care
Agricultural services & market Agricultural land resources |
01.03.2019
- 31.10.2024 |
CHF 5’635’568
|
- Vétérinaires sans Frontières Suisse
-
Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation HEALTH
AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURE
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Basic health care
Agricultural services
Agricultural land resources
Cross-cutting topics The project promotes biodiversity.
Crisis prevention
Aid Type Project and programme contribution
Project number 7F09036
Background | Over 30 million pastoralists in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya (Horn of Africa) are affected by inadequate access to essential healthcare and a poorly developed veterinary service for their livestock. This is mainly because of factors associated with their lifestyles such as dispersed settlement patterns, seasonal mobility and social and economic features that perpetuate the underutilization of essential services even when they are available. The services provided are insufficiently adapted to the needs and contexts of the communities. Moreover, the health system and policies in the Horn of Africa do not sufficiently take the unique context of pastoralist communities into account. The situation is compounded by recurrent drought, flooding and human and livestock disease outbreaks which cross boundaries. Switzerland will address this situation by promoting One Health services, which address human, animal and ecosystem health in an integrated way. The Swiss value added in this field is based on longstanding experience in livestock management and the Swiss expertise in One Health. |
Objectives | Enhanced well-being and improved resilience to shocks of vulnerable communities in pastoralist and agro-pastoralist areas in the Horn of Africa. |
Target groups | Communities: 1.2 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists (60% women and girls) in communities of the Horn of Africa who are challenged by inadequate access to basic health services, basic veterinary services and poor environmental conditions. With the 12 One Health Units to be piloted and supported, 4,279,350 livestock will be able to access improved animal health services. Institutions: Formal institutions such as public health and veterinary service providers, regional/county and woreda/district line departments and offices; and informal/traditional institutions such as community platforms. |
Medium-term outcomes | Men and women members of pastoral communities are engaged in defining sustainable, demand-driven and need-based One Health Units. Public health offices at local level operate context-specific, cost-effective One Health service delivery models. Policymakers and investors recognise HEAL-One Health Units as a solution |
Results |
Expected results: Improved community capacity on natural resource management for rangeland health and One Health. Detailed plans for gender-sensitive One Health Units set-up, both infrastructures (‘hardware’) and mode of operating (‘software’). Public health, veterinary and NRM service providers supported to operationalize and scale up different types of One Health Units operational and scaled up. Documented evidence and lessons learnt. Regional community of practice established and strengthened for contributing to policy discussions. At least 6 meetings/workshops involving donors and government actors (including policy makers) will be conducted. A minimum of 2 policy briefs developed and published. Results from previous phases: During the inception phase of the HEAL project priorities and expectations of the beneficiaries, partners and government were explored across the three countries. Accordingly, the following milestones were achieved. * The one-health policy context and needs at strategic level were mapped for the three target countries. * Pastoralist community representatives were supported to establish 8 Multi-Stakeholder Innovation Platforms in Ethiopia and Somalia. * The vulnerability and capacity needs pertinent to one-health were identified. |
Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
Credit area |
Development cooperation |
Project partners |
Contract partner Swiss Non-profit Organisation Other partners Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse is the main contract partner. Comitato Collaborazione Medica and International Livestock Research Institute are also consortium members. |
Coordination with other projects and actors | HEAL consortium will closely work with the SDC-supported Jijiga One-Health Initiative project through consultation in project development, governance (participation in steering committee meetings) and advocacy work (jointly mobilizing the regional one-health taskforce in Somali Region). HEAL project coordinates with other one-health actors in the HoA. |
Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 5’635’568 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 5’350’737 |
Project phases |
Phase 1 01.03.2019 - 31.10.2024 (Active) |