The Sustainable Development of Livestock for Livelihood in Africa (Live2Africa) project is a project being implemented by the AU-IBAR with support from the EU as part of implementation of the Livestock Development Strategy for Africa (LiDESA). The overall goal of the project is to transform the African Livestock sector for enhanced contribution to socio-economic development and equitable growth. The project’s specific objective is to strengthen the systemic capacity of the continental, regional and National livestock sector stakeholders for the transformation of the livestock sector.
Given the important role veterinary services play in Public Health in areas such as Zoonoses, control of antimicrobial resistance and food safety among others there is a need to strengthen the Veterinary public health functions in AU Member States. Cognizant of the complex inter-relationships between animal health, human health, wildlife and their environment, working towards optimal animal, human and environmental health requires an increasing emphasis on the one health approach. It is therefore important for veterinary public health functions to evolve in tandem with the principles of ‘One Health’.
The study aims to document the current status of the VPH functions in AU Member States in order to identify the systems and measures in place to support VPH functions including the extent of integration of the principles of ‘One Health’ and their alignment with OIE standards on veterinary public health and the quality of veterinary services.
The study will place emphasis on governance/systems and measures put in place to support the veterinary Public health function particularly in the areas of zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance and other priority areas of VPH in the AU Member States. It will also assess the levels of inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral collaboration especially in activities related to the control of priority zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance.
The results from the study will be used to design a road map for strengthening of the VPH functions in selected AU Member States.
The objectives of the consultancy
The broad objectives of the study will be to establish the current status of the veterinary public health functions in AU Member States and to develop a road map for piloting activities to strengthen the VPH functions in selected Member States based on the findings.
Specific Tasks
The indicative tasks to be undertaken for this study will include:
- To design a questionnaire for collection of relevant data to:• determine the status of VPH functions, governance including the position in the departmental organograms;
• determine the levels if any, of inter-sectoral collaboration, in implementing programs, policies, legislation and research and levels in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes
• determine the current priority areas for VPH function in each country in relation to the activities being carried out at national levels as it relates to surveillance, prevention and control of zoonotic diseases and also in relation to addressing issues related to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), food safety among others in the respective countries
- With support of AU-IBAR convene a virtual consultative meeting of key stakeholders in VPH.
- To carry out interviews with identified stakeholders in selected Member States, to enrich the information collected using questionnaires
- To review best practices from other continents, in relation to the VPH functions
- To analyze and compile the key issues and propose intervention required to improve and upgrade the VPH functions in the countries in compliance with OIE standards on quality of veterinary services and veterinary Public Health including the ‘One Health’ approach
- To prepare a roadmap for proposed interventions for strengthening of the VPH functions and present and discuss it with the relevant stakeholders for validation
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Education
At least a post graduate degree in Veterinary Public Health or One Health
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General Professional Experience
The candidate must have at least 10 years of proven experience in delivery of veterinary services and demonstrated experience in conducting similar studies in Africa
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Specific Professional Experience
Demonstrated experience in various aspects of Veterinary Public Health including, governance, legislation, emerging and re-emerging disease including Zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance.
Application deadline is August 13, 2021.
