With the rapid globalization of our world in recent years, society has witnessed countless examples of international and national scientific initiatives working hand-in-hand to improve public health and deliver health care to urban or rural populations, locally or around the world. However, as the on-going COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to us all, the need to develop an effective and equitable global governance architecture for the detection and response to infectious diseases is as present and as essential as ever before.
Emboldened by the Faculty of Medicine’s mandate to Lead Innovation for a Healthier World, and strengthened by its strategic priority to improve global health locally and abroad, the International and Global Health Office (IGHO) has partnered with the Global One Health Network (Global 1HN) to offer a free virtual 3-day summer course on the One Health (OH) approach to improve the global governance of infectious diseases, for network members, learners and Faculty.
The OH approach aims to design and implement programs, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes. While there has been wide-ranging commitment to the OH approach, its operationalisation has so far proven challenging. The 2021 Global 1HN Summer Institute 3-day virtual course (June 14 – June 16 2021) will bring together students and professionals locally and internationally to explore OH global governance of infectious diseases, with a topical focus on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). This course will offer in-depth sessions on OH principles and provide knowledge and skills on how to operationalise the OH approach. Participants will engage through live, synchronous sessions, group discussion and asynchronous self-paced components.
Seven course instructors have been selected across Canada to expose participants to this innovative, research-to-action approach, reflecting the interdisciplinary reality of global governance for infectious diseases. The Summer Institute will also provide an opportunity to network with fellow professionals in the clinical and research fields of infectious diseases.
"This Summer Institute will be a unique opportunity to be exposed to different disciplinary perspectives on understanding the global governance of infectious diseases”, says Dr. Arne Ruckert, Senior Research Associate, School of Epidemiology and Public Health. “The focus on the on-going coronavirus pandemic means that students and practitioners can reflect on how governance changes informed by One Health can help us overcome this and be better prepared for the next major ID outbreak."
“The Global Health Program at IGHO is very pleased to support the inaugural Global 1HN Summer Institute”, says Dr. Manisha Kulkarni, Interim Director of the Global Health Program. “This virtual course will highlight the One Health approach and its importance in effectively addressing the challenge of emerging infectious diseases – as such it’s both novel and timely.”
Sessions will be taught in both English and French (with simultaneous translation available and the IGHO will deliver a certificate of completion to participants who attended all sessions. The Faculty of Medicine’s Office of Continuing Professional Development will provide all registration and technical support for this training through the innovative OnAir platform.
For more information on this exciting event and to learn more about the Global 1HN Summer Institute, write to [email protected] or visit the event website.
