The One Health approach is crucial in addressing complex health challenges that require collaboration across multiple disciplines. As the world faces increasing global health challenges, the need for a skilled and competent One Health workforce becomes more apparent. This is where The Philippine One Health University Network (PhilOHUN) comes in. PhilOHUN is an organized network of Philippine universities that aims to develop the next generation of skilled and competent members of the One Health workforce in the Philippine setting.
To achieve their vision of being the leading network advocating expertise through One Health initiatives to improve health for all and their mission of building a strong and sustainable One Health university network that collaborates across sectors to improve health for all, PhilOHUN partnered with different universities in the Philippines to adopt One Health Concepts in their curriculum.
Last September 1 to 3, 2022, PhilOHUN held a webinar series for One Health Approach in Health Sciences Education. In this event, the elective course that was successfully pilot-tested by the University of the Philippines College of Public Health (UP CPH) last 2021 was reintroduced, and the newly developed modules by current member faculty of PhilOHUN were also pilot-tested to 300 registered student and expert attendees.
An AKAP survey for each module was also conducted after the event to gather feedback and ensure that the course meets the needs of students and provides valuable learning experiences.
The pilot testing of the course and the modules is a crucial step in ensuring that the One Health elective course meets the needs of the students and provides valuable learning experiences. This webinar series is an excellent opportunity for public health professionals to learn more about the One Health approach and gain valuable skills and knowledge to address complex health challenges.
In this page, we are providing free access of the materials that have been presented as well as the presentation recordings of our lecturers for transparency towards our advocacy to provide accessible resources regarding One Health issues and concepts.
Modules
Fundamentals of Public Health and Epidemiology and Risk Analysis
The COVID 19 pandemic and the continuous introduction of economically important animal diseases to new territories highlighted the need to strengthen competencies in epidemiology and public health. This includes the African Swine Fever (ASF), Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) and
important zoonotic diseases. However, compared to the other subjects taken by veterinary medical students, epidemiology and public health may be considered mundane and insignificant to their future practice. The basic mindset of any veterinary medical student is to learn how to effectively treat individual patients. This is in contrast to the principles of epidemiology as it advocates disease management at the population level. Thus, students may disregard epidemiology as they may not find its significance in their future careers.
The aim of this module is to modify the module on epidemiology and risk analysis including fundamentals of public health.
Target learners of this module are current veterinary students.
Fundamentals of Infectious Diseases
by Prof. John Daniel Ong of University of the Philippines Los Banos
This module covers topics that are - the nature of infectious diseases, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, neglected tropical infectious diseases, infectious disease agents, their transmission, pathogenesis, and the treatment methods.
The goals of this module are to
(1) provide a significant foundation on the nature, control, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases,
2) identify infectious diseases prevalent in the Philippines
(3) relate the concepts to daily life.
The target learners for this module are undergraduate students, graduate students, teachers, One Health partners, practitioners, and health professionals. The resulting module can be incorporated into the courses offered by the Microbiology Division, Institute of Biological Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños such as Biology and Applications of Microorganisms (MCB 11), Medical Microbiology (MCB 103), Introductory Food Microbiology (MCB 180), Microbial Toxins (MCB 270), and Special Topics (BIO 191). It can be used by other courses offered in the College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Human Ecology. This may also be offered to courses offered in different universities with similar curricula.
Infectious Disease Management
by Dr. Maria Fe Bulao of Pampanga State Agricultural University
The handling of known infectious diseases whether emerging or re-emerging diseases both in animal and human health must be given attention because mishandling or mismanagement will threaten food security and public health. Therefore, it is very important that stakeholders, from the different walks of life understand how infectious diseases either zoonotic or non-zoonotic be managed.
This lecture aims to develop lectures on:
1. Identification and analysis of risk factors associated with illness during an infectious disease outbreak or epidemic
2. Design an infectious disease management plan
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of One Health actions in infectious disease management and design a disease surveillance and monitoring system.
The target stakeholders can be the following:
Faculty
Senior agriculture students
Barangay Health Workers
One Health Concepts and Knowledge: Focus on Technology-Driven Approach
by Dr. Michael Tee of University of the Phlippines Manila
One Health is the term that refers to the collaboration of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals, plants, and the environment. Understanding the concept of one health will allow practitioners to appreciate the inter-relationship, risks and possible mitigating activities in our response to the constant threat of emerging and re-emerging zoonoses (Ebola virus disease, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Influenza A), and diseases in plant species (Taro leaf blight, wheat head blight, potato blight) that show how vulnerable plants and life sustaining agriculture are to disease. The module identifies areas of engagement that can benefit from technological advances in disease surveillance following the integrated one health concept.
A Proposed ASEAN Public Health Leadership Model and Best Practices Model Based on the Life and Writings of Philippine National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal
by Dr. Kristina Almonte of West Visayas State University
The global pandemic is compelling public health practitioners to find innovative and effective models for leadership and best practices to address the challenges. Leadership is a critical element in implementing public health strategies. Frameworks or guidelines that are based on best practices are crucial to combat the pandemic and to create healthy communities. Likewise, multisectoral stakeholders may function more effectively and maximize the impact of their efforts. Models and frameworks institutionalize practices with measurable results and make initiatives more sustainable.
The proponents believe that a public health leadership model and framework for best practices based on the life and writings of Jose Rizal is worth exploring. The Philippine national hero was a physician who practiced his medical profession amid social and political unrest. He transformed communities with his systems thinking, innovation, and medical expertise. Rizal had unique ways of leading public health initiatives by changing people’s mindsets, behavior, and values.
The goal of this module is to create a public health leadership model and best practices framework based on the life and writings of Dr. Jose Rizal with the following outputs:
A training program for Rizal’s public health leadership skills
A training program for Rizal’s best practices in public health engagement and initiatives
Target fields for this module are:
Public Health
Ecosystem health
Behavior Change
Communication
Culture beliefs values and ethics
Leadership
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