Group photo of the participants

Naivasha –The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) collaborated with the Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU) to conduct a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) of the operationalization of the One Health approach in Kenya.

As the world grapples with the complex interplay of zoonotic diseases and the looming specter of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), food safety and security, the "One Health Intervention Cost Effectiveness and Cost Benefit Analysis" workshop, which took place on 8 and 9 August 2023, at the Dairy Training Institute in Naivasha, have opened new avenues for collaboration and to identify advocacy actions to be implemented for domestic resource mobilization in the Kenyan health landscape.    

A New Paradigm of Collaboration and its Implementation in Kenya

FAO, the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have collaboratively rallied to promote the advancement and application of the One Health approach. However, despite the heightened worldwide focus, the conversion of this approach into practical public policies and sustainable financing at national and sub-national scales continues to present a significant challenge.

In Kenya, the response to this challenge materialized in the formation of the ZDU in 2012. The Unit, shared by ministries responsible for human and animal health, paved way for innovative collaboration, coordination and communication among sectors and disciplines. ZDU’s strategic endeavors have led to significant advancements in the operationalization of the One Health approach in Kenya, culminating in the development of policies, strategies, workforce development, and targeted research. However, domestic resource allocation constraints at national and county levels are hindering sustainable progress and necessitating a collaborative endeavor between ZDU and FAO to generate evidences of the benefits of One Health interventions. This endeavor culminated in a pivotal two-day workshop held at the Mövenpick Hotel, Nairobi, in February 2022. This workshop laid the foundation for an extensive study involving eight counties exploring the cost-effectiveness (CEA) and cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of One Health interventions.

Mapping the Route to Domestic Resource Mobilization

The two-day workshop, aspired to map new frontiers. By examining the social and economic benefits of One Health approach in eight counties (Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Kajiado, Mandera, Marsabit, Siaya, Wajir), the workshop aimed to foster sustainable domestic resource mobilization, thereby fortifying the country's ability to effectively address health threats arising at environment, terrestrial and aquatic animal and human health and safeguard public health. As stated by Dr. Nazaria Nyagah, the County Director of Veterinary Services, Kajiado County, that this workshop is a wakeup call to scale up this type of support and such exercise should be regularly conducted at county level.

The preliminary findings show that the defined One Health intervention might be more costly and more effective or less costly and more effective compared to interventions without One Health. The activity has served to illustrate the relevance and significance of conducting a cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis and to the understanding of the potential benefits and cost implications of implementing One Health interventions at county and national levels. A total of 17 advocacy actions were identified for implementation using the results.

For further information, please contact:

Joseph Othieno

National Communications Specialist

FAO Kenya

Email: [email protected]

Yanira Santana

Emergency Reporting and Outreach

FAO ECTAD Africa

Email : [email protected]