OHCEA is a network of 21 Public Health and Veterinary Higher Education Institutions that are located in eight African countries including Cameroon. OHCEA’s main goal is to build capacity in One Health through multi-disciplinary research, training and community service. The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Montagne became a member of OHCEA in July 2015. A year later, OHCEA expanded the network in Cameroon by adding University of Buea’s Faculty of Health Sciences, and Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Following one year of implementation of the USAID funded One Health Workforce project in Cameroon, OHCEA was officially launched on 28th October 2016 at the Hotel Mont Febe in Yaoundé.
The launch brought together key One Health (OH) stakeholders in Cameroon government, EPT partners, Development Partners, USU Partners, University Representatives and OHCEA representatives. The representative of the Minister of Health, Cameroon Professor Samuel KINGUE was the chief guest. Also in attendance were officials of the Ministry of Higher Education; some members of the Diplomatic corps accredited to Cameroon; Representatives from Predict; P&R; Faculty members of both Universities, members of the Students One Health club and local media. Prof John David Kabasa, was the Head of delegation of OHCEA. Other OHCEA members included, Prof Tadesse, a Board Member, Dr. Irene Naigaga, Program Manager and Dr. Juvenal Kagarama, One Health Workforce Technical Advisor, Francophone.
In his welcome address, the President of the University des Montagne, Professor Lazare KAPTUE, the host, thanked everyone for honoring the occasion with their presence. He particularly paid tribute to OHCEA for having admitted the two institutions into the network thus giving them the opportunity of building a professional workforce capable of responding to zoonotic diseases. He promised to work with partners to contribute to Global One Health Movement.
P&R Country Deputy Representative, Serge Nzietchueng outlined the long-term relationship between world population growth and the emergence & spread of pandemic diseases.
Professor John David Kabasa delivered the occasion’s key note address on the role of Universities and Education in general in shaping a professional workforce capable of combating emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases.
He cautioned that Africa being a ‘global bio-risk incubator’, there is need to be safe and clean as Africa moves about to integrate and do business in the global world. He called for a dissolution of ‘sectoral and discipline tribalism’, starting with university training, urging that the future is intertwined