From 31st July to 1st August 2025, the Government of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with GIZ’s Health Systems Strengthening and Epidemic Prevention Programme and the One Health Project, conducted a two-day district-level training in Bo City focused on the National Human, Animal, and Environmental Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for surveillance and data sharing of Priority Zoonotic Diseases (PZDs).
Miss Aminata Saccoh, Technical Health Advisor at GIZ and lead trainer, opened the session with a compelling contextual overview of the One Health approach, emphasizing its power to unite science, policy, and grassroots action across ecosystems. She explained how this strategy transcends traditional health boundaries by integrating human, animal, and environmental health considerations into a single operational framework. Miss Saccoh described the SOPs as more than just tools. They are enablers of collaboration, consistency, and accountability at both district and national levels.
Dr. Joseph Kanu, Surveillance Manager at the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), welcomed participants and acknowledged the leadership of the One Health Secretariat. He echoed the urgency and significance of implementing harmonized SOPs to manage threats such as Mpox and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), highlighting the impact of standardized surveillance practices on early detection and outbreak control.
Representing the Executive Director of NPHA, Professor Foday Sahr, Miss Rachael A. Kuyembeh, Public Relations Coordinator, delivered an institutional welcome. She expressed deep appreciation to partners and participants for their engagement and reaffirmed the training’s value as a milestone in Sierra Leone’s journey toward resilient, inclusive, and multisectoral health systems. She formally declared the training open, urging all present to embrace the One Health vision and continue building coordinated, evidence-driven solutions for public health.
Participants included technical staff from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of the Environment, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NPHA, WHO, the Health Education and Advocacy for Development Association (HEADA), and other key MDAs—demonstrating Sierra Leone’s commitment to collaborative public health strengthening.
Mr. Michael N’dolie, WHO IDSR Officer, outlined five pillars of the One Health strategy: agricultural integration, community engagement, sustainability, prevention, and international collaboration. Mrs. Rachel Sandi, One Health Coordinator, presented institutional progress including the designation of One Health focal persons, reviews of the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), Technical Working Groups, DETP and Veterinary Epidemiology trainings, a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and unified SOPs for ten priority zoonotic diseases. She emphasized the role of weekly EPRRG meetings at NPHA as a platform for cross-sectoral coordination and the importance of the recent Initial After Action Review (IAR) on Mpox as a tool for continuous learning and system refinement.
Dr. Lenor delivered a technical session on data collection methodologies for zoonotic disease surveillance. He explained the use of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) tools for human health and the adapted IDSAR tools for animal health, stressing the importance of harmonized data streams for effective early warning and response. He provided an overview of the ten priority zoonotic diseases identified for Sierra Leone, including Rabies, Anthrax, Brucellosis, Rift Valley Fever, and others, and emphasized the need for district-level actors to understand disease-specific indicators, reporting timelines, and cross-sectoral verification protocols.
HEADA was also represented at the training, reinforcing the importance of civil society engagement in advancing the One Health agenda. Speaking on behalf of the Health Education and Advocacy for Development Association, the representative noted, “HEADA remains committed to supporting community-level awareness and accountability in zoonotic disease surveillance. We believe that inclusive participation is key to building trust and ensuring that One Health principles translate into real impact on the ground.”
As part of the training, facilitators and participants jointly explored key thematic areas to guide future district-level capacity building. These included case-based simulations for outbreak detection and response across sectors, hands-on data entry and analysis exercises using IDSR and IDSAR platforms, clarification of roles and responsibilities across MDAs during joint investigations, community engagement strategies for risk communication and behavioral change, legal and policy frameworks underpinning One Health coordination and data sharing, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for SOP implementation and compliance, feedback loops and escalation pathways for unusual events or suspected outbreaks, integration of climate and environmental data into surveillance planning, and ethical considerations in zoonotic disease surveillance and response. These recommendations reflect the shared commitment to continuous learning, operational readiness, and multisectoral coordination in advancing Sierra Leone’s One Health agenda.
The National Public Health Agency extends sincere appreciation to all partners who contributed to the success of this training, especially GIZ, whose technical and financial support made the event possible. GIZ has played a pivotal role in strengthening district-level capacity across Sierra Leone by supporting the rollout of One Health trainings, facilitating multisectoral engagement, and promoting the operationalization of SOPs for zoonotic disease surveillance. Gratitude is also extended to all facilitators for their expert guidance and commitment to knowledge sharing. Special thanks go to the One Health Secretariat for its continued leadership in championing the One Health Strategy, which remains essential to building resilient health systems that are inclusive, coordinated, and prepared to address complex public health threats.