From 2021 to 2024, village communities in the prefecture of Nzérékoré, in Forest Guinea, took part in an ambitious initiative supported by GRET and the Guinean entrepreneurs’ centre (MGE), funded by Agence française de développement. This project aimed to boost health in the territory taking the “One Health” approach, which encompasses human health, animal health and ecosystem health. The objective was to support households and communities to take ownership of local issues, become organised and develop their own solutions.
What is the One Health approach?
Given the significant increase of diseases and infections transmitted between animals and humans, the idea that human health, animal health (domestic and wild animals), and ecosystem health are interdependent is increasingly prevalent.
“One Health” is an approach that mobilises diverse sectors, disciplines and communities at all levels of society to work together to improve wellbeing and fight against threats to health and ecosystems.
This approach is often promoted by international organisations and included in national healthcare strategies, but the populations concerned are rarely fully involved. In Forest Guinea, GRET and MGE attempted to address this situation by rolling out the One Health approach at local level.
The benefits of a One Health approach at community level in Forest Guinea
Forest Guinea was the epicentre of the Ebola epidemic in 2015 and 2021. The population in this region has a deep mistrust of the healthcare system, which has been underfunded for many years. In the prefecture of Nzérékoré, near the classified forest of Mont Béro, communities are also experiencing a number of vulnerabilities. The combined effects of demographic pressure and intensification of farming have caused depletion of the forest cover and endangered biodiversity, leading to land degradation and water pollution.
In this context, GRET and MGE launched a project to make the One Health approach operational for rural households, villages and municipalities, working with the latter to co-define priority issues, and supporting them to change farming and livestock farming practices.
One stage of the project focused on structuring, supporting and strengthening municipal platforms – including local authorities; stakeholders in the environmental, farming, livestock farming and health sectors; representatives from communities – and village committees for management of terroirs incorporating One Health issues.
The participative initiatives created by the project facilitated greater consideration of ecosystem health and environmental issues, as yet neglected in projects taking the One Health approach. “The national One Health strategy, centred on monitoring and fighting against diseases transmitted from animals to humans, differs somewhat from the realities faced by local communities. Our project takes account of their priorities, such as the fight against deforestation, pollution of waterways and reduction of crop protection products”, explains Dr. Dobo Onivogui, epidemiologist and manager of the project at GRET. The project covers the interactions between the three areas of health in a broad manner, while integrating local preoccupations about economic development.
Concrete results
Thanks to this project, healthcare professionals and communities developed a common vision of a territory “in health”. Communities were also supported for the agroecological transition of three value chains particularly at risk: rice, palm oil and pig farming. Concrete changes were observed, such as the reduction of crop protection products close to homes, adoption of agroecological practices and better livestock farming practices, and a reduction in over-cutting of timber.
Jean Delamou, a representative of oil palm growers and secretary of the Gouécké village management committee tells us: “We were supported to manage our resources ourselves, through dialogue”.
Training and awareness-raising were conducted by healthcare professionals and community relay persons. The project’s approach, involving citizens, facilitated the work of community health officers. “With Ebola, things broke down between healthcare officers and the population. Before the project, it was difficult to access communities. Now, it’s easier to convey health messages”, says Mamady Kaba Diakité, a healthcare officer in Gouécké.
GRET and MGE contributed to strengthening populations’ overall health resilience thanks to the mobilisation of households, villages and communes. Communities demonstrated their capacity to take action at their own level. However, “some actions require substantial human, technical and financial resources, and the sustainability of consultation frameworks, which serve as operational relays for populations and public authorities, must be ensured”, says Claire Costis, who is in charge of One Health at GRET. “The various levels of authorities in the country must be able to tackle health issues as they are perceived locally and implement the resources necessary for their effective management by supporting community-based initiatives”.
Key project figures
- 3 inclusive, operational municipal One Health platforms
- 9 village committees for management of terroirs integrating One Health issues
- 54 rural households and 8 processing groups in the rice, pig farming and palm oil value chains are incorporating “One Health” issues in their practices.
Learn more about this project: Promoting a global approach to health at territorial level in Forest Guinea
