Lessons and best practices

Dr. Francisco Olea Popelka, DVM, MSc, PhD

Beryl Ivey Chair in One Health, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine & Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
Western University, London, Ontario, Canada

Role of Subnational Leaders in One Health

June 2nd, 2022
Jakarta, Indonesia
 Outline
• As a veterinarian and epidemiologist
• 4 key lessons learned after 24 years of work on collaborative,
multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary projects, activities, and
initiatives, worldwide.
1) Animal, human, and environmental health interdependence
2) Work directly with affected communities
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”
 Current (2022) example with Talaku – Kenya
Evaluation of healthcare facilities and services provided for tuberculosis and zoonotic
tuberculosis within the rural Maasai Community in Kajiado County

Participation Rate
100% of healthcare facilities
92% of healthcare workers
 Review, approval, and involvement of key
Government Stakeholders

Kenyan Medical National Commission MOH

Kajiado County
Research Institute for Science, Technology National Tuberculosis, Leprosy
Government
Ethical Review & Innovation and Lung Disease Program
3) Partnering with key institutions / stakeholders
(local stakeholders are key)
 Assessment of Rabies
Control in Rural Areas in
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls
 Participation Rate
500 surveys completed, 100% response/participation rate

Blood sample, rabies

vaccination and KAP survey
Lab Test and Data analysis

1 500 rural dogs

Rabies ELISA serology
Blood 500 serum samples to lab
collection

Rabies
vaccine

Merge datasets

KAP Data collection, entry

2
and cleansing

Data Analysis

500 surveys
 COVID-19 and Key Stakeholders
A global health, medical, economic, political, ethical, legal, and social crisis

Public Health Care Workers

Government

Media
Academia Industries 17
 4) To improve health,
“science/medical knowledge are 100% necessary, but not sufficient”
 One Health: Lessons Learned Summary
1) Animal, human, environmental health interdependence
Focusing on animal and environmental health & prevention is cost effective
2) Work directly with affected communities on topics that matter to them
3) Involve key stakeholders from different sectors of society
4) To improve health, “science/medical knowledge are 100% necessary, but not sufficient”
Thank you for your attention!
foleapop@uwo.ca