If you believe this project doesn't affect you, think again. Many emerging diseases are zoonotic, meaning that they can be transmitted between animals and humans. Two recent examples are SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and avian influenza — both caused global alarm. A national plan to manage animal health crises is as critical to people as it is to animals.
On behalf of the Canadian Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (CFAVM), I talked about academia's role in training future veterinarians and scientists as well as developing health expertise and new technologies. I also stressed our national and international responsibility for bringing the concept of One Health to life.
One Health's goal is to improve animal, human and environmental health through collaboration among all health sciences. By working together, health professionals can develop strategies for managing serious issues such as food- and water-borne diseases, environmental changes and emerging zoonotic diseases. Interprofessional expertise is also critical for managing more common diseases and infections — such as rabies — in communities.
One Health is fundamental to the future success of an integrated framework for animal health and emergency response in Canada. What surprised Fore-CAN partners is how much integration we already have in place at the University of Saskatchewan.
As the only Canadian university with all health science colleges on one campus, we already have collaborative leadership through the Council of Health Science Deans. One Health is a U of S signature research area, and a number of our human and veterinary researchers regularly collaborate on translational studies in areas such as oncology, reproduction, neural systems and immunology and infectious diseases. Many of our animal and human health faculty also work closely with regional, provincial and national health agencies on public health issues such as zoonotic diseases and food safety.
By its very nature, the shared leadership among the U of S Council of Health Science Deans is helping to build bridges between health sciences — creating those vital connections that Fore-CAN organizers are calling for on a national level. Simply put, the U of S is a vibrant microcosm of what health officials want to establish in Canada and around the world.
Of course, there's still much more to do. We've all invested time into developing strategies that can integrate One Health into our local, regional and national frameworks, but one of the symposium's key messages was that "culture trumps strategy."
How do we change culture? That's the challenge, and I believe it's one of our most important jobs in academia. By weaving interprofessional education and activities into our joint curricula, we can change the culture as we graduate health professionals who have partnering and integrated health care embedded into their academic experiences.
For example, a U of S chapter of the National Health Sciences Students' Association (NaHSSA) has already helped to bring together students from all health science colleges for interprofessional discussions and activities.
Moving from multiple spheres of health to a stronger One Health structure will take time, co-operation and effort — but it's a process that we must not delay any further. As we've already witnessed, a single emerging disease can overwhelm the world. We need a combined, strategic effort to manage these global health crises. The health of people and animals depends on our success.
Dr. Freeman's viewpoint was published in the University of Saskatchewan's On Campus News.
On behalf of the Canadian Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (CFAVM), I talked about academia's role in training future veterinarians and scientists as well as developing health expertise and new technologies. I also stressed our national and international responsibility for bringing the concept of One Health to life.
One Health's goal is to improve animal, human and environmental health through collaboration among all health sciences. By working together, health professionals can develop strategies for managing serious issues such as food- and water-borne diseases, environmental changes and emerging zoonotic diseases. Interprofessional expertise is also critical for managing more common diseases and infections — such as rabies — in communities.
One Health is fundamental to the future success of an integrated framework for animal health and emergency response in Canada. What surprised Fore-CAN partners is how much integration we already have in place at the University of Saskatchewan.
As the only Canadian university with all health science colleges on one campus, we already have collaborative leadership through the Council of Health Science Deans. One Health is a U of S signature research area, and a number of our human and veterinary researchers regularly collaborate on translational studies in areas such as oncology, reproduction, neural systems and immunology and infectious diseases. Many of our animal and human health faculty also work closely with regional, provincial and national health agencies on public health issues such as zoonotic diseases and food safety.
By its very nature, the shared leadership among the U of S Council of Health Science Deans is helping to build bridges between health sciences — creating those vital connections that Fore-CAN organizers are calling for on a national level. Simply put, the U of S is a vibrant microcosm of what health officials want to establish in Canada and around the world.
Of course, there's still much more to do. We've all invested time into developing strategies that can integrate One Health into our local, regional and national frameworks, but one of the symposium's key messages was that "culture trumps strategy."
How do we change culture? That's the challenge, and I believe it's one of our most important jobs in academia. By weaving interprofessional education and activities into our joint curricula, we can change the culture as we graduate health professionals who have partnering and integrated health care embedded into their academic experiences.
For example, a U of S chapter of the National Health Sciences Students' Association (NaHSSA) has already helped to bring together students from all health science colleges for interprofessional discussions and activities.
Moving from multiple spheres of health to a stronger One Health structure will take time, co-operation and effort — but it's a process that we must not delay any further. As we've already witnessed, a single emerging disease can overwhelm the world. We need a combined, strategic effort to manage these global health crises. The health of people and animals depends on our success.
Dr. Freeman's viewpoint was published in the University of Saskatchewan's On Campus News.
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