My name is Ndongmo Njukeng Tarcisius, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine final Year student at the University of Ngaoundere in Cameroon.
I am the pioneer President of the University of Ngaoundere SOHIC; a term that ended on 22nd November 2021. Even then, I continue to groom the new SOHIC members to promote the One Health concept.
What I love most about the SOHIC:
The SOHIC Ngaoundere is first, a personal achievement for me. It is the place for me, the place to demonstrate the knowledge I have gained about One Health. The inter-disciplinary working environment makes it exciting.
What we do:
We carry out sensitization activities on major health issues including Zoonoses, AMR, food security, and environmental health. We also carry out cleanup campaigns with community members.
How the SOHIC has impacted me:
- The SOHIC has developed my leadership and management skills and potential. It has inspired me to choose a One Health-related research theme for my end of course/program project.
- I have also created myself a great number of professional contacts and networks.
- I have developed skills in e-learning.
- We took part in the regional Global Health Case Competition and recently a national one that brought out exciting ideas from the students.
What more can SOHICs do for the students:
The SOHICs just need to plan and execute more on-campus activities, and this will pull more students. By organizing regular meetings, excursions, field trips, small-scale case competitions, more students will be drawn to the SOHIC.
SOHICs needs the support of their university administrators to better promote the One Health concept.
Is SOHIC a good place to be?
I will always continue to encourage students to join SOHICs, because I believe it is the best place to learn inter-disciplinary work, which is the sustainable way to tackle major health threats now and in the future. Timid students get the space and opportunity to engage in community outreaches and administrative affairs of the club.
Here are some images of a few activities of Ngaoundere University SOHIC