FAO will deliver a One Health training entitled Wildlife Investigation in Livestock and Public Health in Manikganj, Bangladesh from Septembter 19-30, 2012. This training will build professional capacity related to issues at the human-livestock-wildlife-environment interface. The two week course incorporates classroom learning, problem-based learning exercises, and field trips to local live animal markets, wildlife reserves, domestic poultry farms and local communities affected by Nipah virus outbreaks. During both field and problem-based learning exercises, multi-sectoral teams with expertise in agriculture, livestock, natural resource management, ecology, veterinary medicine and public health will facilitate identifying solutions to scenarios using a One Health approach. This course encourages increased collaboration across disciplines allowing for integrated responses to surveillance, disease outbreaks, and addressing health issues of relevance to the people of Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES

• Build One Health professional capacity for veterinarians, medical officers, wildlife and environmental experts at the field level
• Increase knowledge, understanding, skills, and buy-in related to human-livestock-wildlife-environment interface issues
• Initiate and encourage One Health networking and collaboration among field-level professionals
• Use problem-based learning, didactic and field visit approaches to demonstrate human-livestock-wildlife-environment interface issues.

OUTCOMES

• Improved capacity of professionals (veterinarians, medical officers, wildlife and environmental experts) to address One Health issues
• Increased knowledge, understanding, skills, and buy-in for issues related to human-livestock-wildlife-environment interface
• Development of networking and collaboration among field-level professionals on One Health issues.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understand the global context of One Health with particular reference to ecosystems of Bangladesh and the importance of ecological services in protecting human and animal health
• Gain an insight into the anthropogenic issues, farming intensification/expansion and environmental drivers of disease emergence
• Consolidate knowledge on natural resource management (wetlands, forests, wildlife and conservation), livestock crop development, public health (zoonoses, food safety) and rural livelihoods, and socio-economic development though participatory discussion activities
• Understand the role of wild birds in H5N1 spread with a view of understanding H5N1 in Bangladesh
• Be familiar with bat taxonomy, biology, natural history, ecosystem, ecosystem services and important diseases harbored by bats
• Gain skills in bat capture and handling
• Gain knowledge of methods of designing an integrated disease outbreak investigation, zoonotic disease prevention, control and response program
• Understand health risk communication and risk management at the interface
• Participate in the development of a regional multi-sectoral project to address livestock/ wildlife/zoonoses.