Kajiado: Kajiado County will soon be rolling out the One Health Care Approach Strategic Plan 2025-2030.
According to Kenya News Agency, the One Health approach addresses the interrelation of human, animal, and environmental health, focusing on zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and other public health threats.
The Kajiado County programme, supported by AMREF Health Africa, aims to streamline service delivery across the medical services, environment, and agriculture departments. The One Health program will also benefit the community through a One Health digital hub developed by the Cooperative University of Kenya (CUK).
Speaking during a three-day sensitization meeting for Kajiado Members of the County Assembly, Associate Prof. Wycliffe Oboka from CUK highlighted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the county to leverage agricultural cooperatives and use gender-responsive health care financing. Through the MOU, they plan to support each other in various areas of development, specifically implementing the One Health approach via agricultural cooperatives.
Prof. Oboka emphasized the interaction between humans and animals in many pandemics and diseases, leading to the development of a One Health digital platform. This platform enables agricultural cooperatives to become important vehicles for delivering messages and registration benefits to the community and farmers. It connects village farmers with experts, allowing them to report incidents and receive immediate feedback.
Agricultural cooperatives present a significant opportunity for enhancing healthcare financing, potentially reaching a large number of Kenyans. Prof. Oboka noted that the digital project is currently being piloted in Loitoktok and has garnered considerable interest. With Kajiado County's new strategic plan, it will be among a few counties embracing the One Health approach.
Hon. Justus Ng'ossor, Speaker of the County Assembly, stated that the training on the One Health unit and strategic plan will aid in coordinating the three departments related to health matters, ultimately improving service delivery.
Health CEC Kajiado Alex Kilouwa stressed the significance of the One Health Care Approach strategic plan for Kajiado County, given its high livestock population and susceptibility to zoonotic diseases. The assembly's health, water, environment, and agriculture committees underwent training on the One Health Care Approach, which will promote sustainable financing.
Kilouwa announced the validation of the One Health strategic plan and the creation of a roadmap for the document, which will move to the County Cabinet through the Governor before the official launch of the One Health Strategic Plan 2025/2030. He expressed gratitude for CUK's presentation on the One Health Digital Hub, which will assist the community, especially in rural areas.
Joram Onditi from AMREF Health Africa in Kenya highlighted their efforts in training county assembly members and other stakeholders on the importance of the One Health approach, crucial for addressing diseases transmitted from animals and the environment to humans. He pointed out that over 70 percent of diseases affecting humans originate from animals, including brucellosis, anthrax, and COVID-19.
Onditi noted the need for more sensitization for other counties to understand the benefits of the One Health approach in combating and promoting health among their populations. Kenya's national One Health Strategic Plan (2021-2025) already addresses zoonotic diseases, involving experts from various sectors.
For Kajiado County, the 'One Health Approach' strategic plan provides a comprehensive framework for strengthening its implementation, enhancing public health surveillance, preparedness, response, and control of public health events, and promoting applied research. It also aims to strengthen intersectoral collaboration by fostering partnerships with stakeholders, including government agencies, non-state actors, and the private sector.