Abidjan, 23 May 2023. The pan-African scientific research consortium Afrique One launches a new capacity building programme for African researchers and practitioners in the field of One Health. The programme is called Afrique One-Research Excellence for African Challenges in Health (REACH). It is based on the conceptual and operational foundations of the “One Health” approach.

“The One Health approach is the integration of academic and non-academic knowledge on human, animal and environmental health across disciplines, sectors and communities, with a societal added value. While this approach is globally recognised, it needs to be put into practice at different scales and beyond the human-animal-environment interface to improve people’s health, livelihoods and well-being,” says Prof. Bassirou Bonfoh, Director of Afrique One.

Afrique One-REACH (2023-2027) is the third phase of the activities of the Afrique One consortium after Afrique One (2009-2015), Afrique One-ASPIRE (African Science Partnership for Intervention Research Excellence 2016- 2022). The objectives of Afrique One-REACH are (i) to assess and fill key skills gaps by training future African leaders to implement the One Health approach; (ii) to work towards the systematic integration of different scientific disciplines (biomedical and veterinary sciences, environmental and social sciences), as well as policy makers, practitioners and communities to find and implement practical public health solutions together.

With more than 12 years of experience in training and research based on the “One Health” approach, the Afrique One consortium, through the Afrique One-REACH programme, will train a cohort of 50 African researchers (Masters, PhDs, Postdocs) working in different cultural, geographical and linguistic contexts (West, Central, East and North Africa). The training will be structured around three (03) thematic training programmes on: (i) emerging and endemic zoonoses; (ii) neglected tropical diseases and (iii) chronic non-communicable diseases. In addition, two cross-cutting programmes around modelling and collective action with socio-economic impact research will extend to all thematic training programmes for the development of integrated, practical and sustainable intervention models.

Afrique One-REACH is a special programme of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire that is funded through Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training, and Science in Africa (DELTAS Africa), a long-term, multimillion dollar programme launched in 2015 to support collaborative consortia led by Africa-based scientists to amplify Africa-led development of world-class research and scientific leaders on the continent, while strengthening African institutions.

The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) is implementing the DELTAS Africa programme and manages the second phase, DELTAS Africa II, 2023-2027 with support from Wellcome and the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).