News
Supporting T&C Consulting to update 'One Health' Plan for Vietnam
Prime is supporting T&C Consulting in Vietnam to undertake the Formulation of One Health Partnership 5-Year Action Plan and Budget assignment in Vietnam, funded by the European Union (EU) Delegation to Vietnam.
Our consultant Dr Eric Neumann is the Team Leader for the assignment’s delivery, working remotely from New Zealand in collaboration with a Deputy Team Leader in Vietnam and three other consultants.
Dr Alan Pearson, Prime’s Group Chairman, is also providing backstopping support to the team.
This assignment is designed to support to the One Health Partnership (OHP) in Vietnam, which was established in 2016 with the objective of minimising the risks of ‘spill over’ of infectious agents from animals to humans.
The COVID-19 global pandemic has highlighted the importance of this work, as the SARS-COV-2 virus that causes the disease is thought to have originated in wildlife.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is leading the OHP, in cooperation with the country's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, with support from the EU Delegation to Vietnam.
The partnership recognises that health issues at the human-animal-environment interface cannot be effectively addressed by one sector alone; rather, they need a strong ‘One Health’ (OH) approach at global, regional, national and sub-national levels.
OH is an approach to designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors (livestock, wildlife, public health and environment) communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes.
Dr Neumann and the T&C Consulting team will assist the OHP to formulate a 5-year strategic work plan with corresponding budgeted activities.
Specialising in disease management, biosecurity policy, livestock production and global trade in animals and animal products, with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and PhD in Veterinary Epidemiology, Dr Neumann is well-placed to lead this work.
He has delivered OH training and capacity building around the world, including in East, South-East and South Asia. He was on the faculty of Massey University in New Zealand from 2005 to 2014 and maintains an adjunct associate professorship role there.
It is expected the final 5-year strategic OHP work plan and budget will be completed by the end of 2021.
“We are excited to be involved in this project,” says Dr Pearson.
“Vietnam is showing leadership on One Health. The new 5-year plan will assist earlier detection of emerging human health threats and effective responses, as well as providing overall economic and health benefits across the spectrum of animal and human health as well as the environment.
“We hope this work will be an exemplar to other countries also in how to tackle these issues.”
Prime would also like to acknowledge the role of New Zealand G2G in convening this consultancy.
