One Health collaborations for zoonotic disease control in Ethiopia.

Zoonotic diseases require a One Health approach for successful control and elimination due to the nature of their transmission between animals and humans. One Health recognises that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are all interconnected. Ethiopia has committed itself to controlling five prioritised zoonotic diseases (rabies, anthrax, brucellosis, leptospirosis and echinococcosis), using a One Health approach. The National One Health Steering Committee (NOHSC) provides a framework for national stakeholders to address gaps in multisectoral communication, coordination and collaboration. In addition, the NOHSC oversees the formation of several specialised disease-focused groups, referred to as 'Technical Working Groups' (TWGs). These TWGs are responsible for developing disease prevention and control strategies, as well as implementing disease-focused public health activities and providing recommendations to the NOHSC. Ethiopia's success using the One Health approach and its efficient control of zoonotic diseases will depend on the commitment of all member Ministries to support the NOHSC and TWGs, as well as to build capacity in Ethiopia's workforce and laboratories, a task supported by its many international partners.

Les zoonoses étant par nature des maladies transmissibles entre les animaux et l'homme, l'approche Une seule santé est la seule qui permette de les contrôler efficacement en vue de les éliminer. Le concept Une seule santé repose sur la prise en compte de l'interconnexion entre la santé humaine, celle des animaux et celle de l'environnement. L'Éthiopie s'est fixé pour objectif de lutter contre cinq maladies zoonotiques classées comme prioritaires (rage, fièvre charbonneuse, brucellose, leptospirose et échinococcose) en suivant une approche Une seule santé. Le comité de pilotage national Une seule santé (NOHSC) apporte un cadre permettant aux parties prenantes du pays de résoudre les problèmes de communication, de coordination et de collaboration intersectorielles. En outre, le NOHSC supervise la création de plusieurs groupes de travail techniques dédiés à des maladies spécifiques. Ces groupes de travail sont chargés d'élaborer des stratégies de prévention et de contrôle, de mettre en oeuvre des activités de santé publique axées sur ces maladies et de formuler des recommandations à l'intention du NOHSC. La réussite des efforts déployés par l'Éthiopie pour appliquer les principes Une seule santé et l'efficacité de la lutte contre les maladies zoonotiques dépendront de l'engagement des ministères concernés à soutenir le NOHSC et les groupes de travail techniques et à renforcer les capacités des ressources humaines et des laboratoires éthiopiens, tâche qui bénéficie de l'appui de nombreux partenaires internationaux.

Toda labor eficaz de control y eliminación de las enfermedades zoonóticas, por la propia naturaleza de su transmisión entre animales y personas, pasa por abordar estas patologías desde los planteamientos de Una sola salud, noción esta que parte del reconocimiento de que salud humana, animal y ambiental están siempre interconectadas. Etiopía está embarcada en el innegociable empeño de combatir cinco enfermedades zoonóticas consideradas prioritarias (rabia, carbunco bacteridiano, brucelosis, leptospirosis y equinococosis) trabajando desde la óptica de Una sola salud. El Comité Directivo Nacional de Una sola salud proporciona a los interlocutores del país un marco de referencia que sirve para subsanar las lagunas existentes en cuanto a comunicación, coordinación y colaboración entre los diversos sectores. Ese órgano, además, supervisa la formación de varios grupos especializados y centrados en una u otra enfermedad, denominados grupos de trabajo técnicos, que tienen por cometido elaborar estrategias de prevención y control de una enfermedad concreta, llevar adelante acciones de salud pública dirigidas contra ella y formular recomendaciones para el Comité Directivo. El éxito de Etiopía a la hora de aplicar los postulados de Una sola salud y de combatir eficazmente las enfermedades zoonóticas dependerá del nivel de compromiso con que todos los ministerios copartícipes presten apoyo al Comité Directivo y los grupos de trabajo técnicos y ayuden a instaurar en el país un tejido lo bastante solvente de laboratorios y recursos humanos, empresa esta en la que Etiopía cuenta con el respaldo de sus numerosos asociados internacionales.

Health and road transport in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: The 1998 Global Burden of Disease Study estimated that road traffic injuries (RTIs) will become the third leading cause of lost disability-adjusted life years, with two-thirds of the deaths occurring in the least developed nations. Moreover, automobile-based transport systems are associated with air pollution (lead toxicity, asthma and greenhouse gas accumulation), noise disturbances, physical inactivity and obesity. STUDY DESIGN: This study (1) reviewed road transport literature in Pakistan and the impacts on health outcomes; (2) examined health policies to assess their focus on transport-related health problems; and (3) identified policy gaps for future research. METHODS: A methodological review of the literature on direct and indirect effects of road transportation in Pakistan. This review includes government documents, memos, statements and draft policies as well as relevant articles indexed in MEDLINE. RESULTS: A systematic review revealed no approved transport policy in Pakistan, despite three national health policy documents. The Health Chapter of the 9th Five Year Plan appreciates the grave threat of unchecked RTI, but fails to offer specific policy interventions. Despite ambitious plans by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, actual projects and their implementation remain scarce, resulting in ever-increasing air pollution. The health impact of lead toxicity, noise pollution and RTIs remain high, while obesity is on the rise. CONCLUSION: The increasing health impact of road transport on 140 million people calls for immediate policy action. Government agencies must intervene effectively to establish monitoring and decentralised enforcement nationwide, while simultaneously supporting alternative modes of transportation.

Restrictions on 'multiple biochemical analyses' profiling decreases usage of biochemistry test requests.

One hundred and forty two thousand near-consecutive pathology episodes in a private practice laboratory were reviewed. During this period, a new government Medical Benefits Schedule (Pathology Services Table) was introduced which restricted the usage of the 'Multiple Biochemistry Analyses' (MBA) test profile. We found that requesting practitioners, when deprived of the use of the MBA profile, altered their biochemical requesting patterns and that usage of other permitted biochemical profiles increased. However, the overall use of biochemical tests decreased over the survey period, and the cost to the community of biochemical tests performed was lowered.