Implementation of One Health approach in Tanzania: Strengths and challenges

The One Health approach has been defined by the One Health High-Level Expert Panel as an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.

Under the Tanzania Prime Minister’s office, the One Health section is responsible for implementation of One Health.

The task of the office is to bring together multiple sectors and disciplines to work together with clear OH approach coordination in the country.

Following the recent revision of the One Health strategic plan (2022–27), the One Health section is now eligible to receive funding from the government.

In addition, through the One Health section, Tanzania has supporting documents for One Health, including the national action plan for antimicrobial resistance, the prioritized list of zoonotic diseases, and strategic prevention and control plans.

Despite these developments in One Health in Tanzania, the Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) project helped identify the challenges and gaps that Tanzania faces in One Health implementation.

A baseline assessment study was conducted in four settings: desktop review, focus group discussion, key informant interviews and One Health net mapping.

Results showed that the country’s One Health challenges include a lack of One Health resources, One Health education inclusiveness and One Health awareness at the subnational level.

There are limited suitable One Health monitoring mechanisms to assess the progress of the One Health approach in Tanzania.

Thus, COHESA supports the country in addressing these challenges to improve at all levels of One Health sectoral performance in the context of One Health  governance, education, and implementation.

Citation
Vianney, J.-M., Kimaro, E.G., Buza, J., Knight-Jones, T., Fèvre, E., Richards, S. and Shirima, G.M. 2024. Implementation of One Health approach in Tanzania: Strengths and challenges. One Health Cases 2024(2024).

Photo: Landscape in Mbeya, Tanzania (credit: ILRI/Kabir Dhanji)