Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to the One Health approach, bringing together key stakeholders from human, animal, and environmental health sectors to align priorities and enhance cross-sector collaboration.
A high-level national policy dialogue, held in Accra and organized under the Evidence-Informed Policy Approaches for One Health (OH-EVI) project, assessed progress and outlined next steps for advancing integrated health action in Ghana.
The event was led by the Global Health and Infectious Disease Research Group at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (GHID-KCCR), KNUST, with support from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the German Ministry of Health.
The dialogue built on insights from a November 2024 stakeholder workshop, where policymakers, researchers, and sector leaders developed Evidence Briefs for Policy (EBPs) to strengthen Ghana’s evidence-based decision-making on One Health and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Ghana’s successful COVID-19 response demonstrated the power of multi-sector coordination during health emergencies. Since then, the country has established a One Health Platform and drafted a national policy though it remains pending final approval.
Dr. Michael Owusu, lead of the Virology and Diagnostic Group at KNUST and co-lead of the One Health Virology Group at KCCR, emphasized the need to bridge the gap between research and policy.
“Reports are published, but key lessons often fail to inform decision-making,” he noted.
Principal Investigator of the OH-EVI project, Dr. John Amuasi described the delay in policy finalization as an opportunity.
“This allows us to integrate the latest evidence, including insights from the Lancet One Health Commission and the WHO Pandemic Agreement. Ghana can now lead with a forward-thinking approach,” he said.
Director of Disease Epidemics at the National Disaster Management Organisation, Ruth Arthur highlighted the importance of clear communication to leadership.
“We must better articulate One Health as an investment in national resilience,” she noted.
Dr. Badu Sarkodie, former Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, stressed the need for political ownership.
“Every government wants health security, food security, and reduced outbreaks—One Health delivers all three,” he stated.
The OH-EVI project is now shifting from evidence synthesis to policy implementation. Key priorities emerging from the dialogue include; drafting a policy brief for national leadership, clearly defining the socio-economic benefits of One Health, and advocating for dedicated funding to sustain long-term action
While technical expertise exists across sectors, participants agreed that stronger leadership and systemic alignment are crucial.
As one attendee noted, “we have the knowledge, what we need now is coordinated action and sustained commitment.”
Ghana’s renewed push for One Health signals its intent to build a more resilient, integrated health system; one that can better prevent and respond to future crises.
