Governance Manual of the One Health Coordination Platform.

This Governance Manual outlines the administrative and technical structure of the One Health Coordination Platform (OHCP) and delineates the procedures ensuring active involvement in planning and decision-making processes. Established in June 2017, the OHCP aims to foster collaborative efforts across sectors to address complex public health challenges that transcend individual domains. It serves as a conduit for developing systems that enhance early detection of emerging threats to human, animal, and environmental health, as well as for coordinating interventions to mitigate their potential impact. Additionally, the platform emphasizes resource mobilization, accountability, and transparency at all levels. The One Health Coordination Platform (OHCP) Governance Manual delineates the platform's objectives and outlines the structures and processes intended to achieve them effectively. It offers guidance on the roles and responsibilities of the diverse stakeholders engaged in the OHCP, whether in administrative or technical capacities.
The primary aim of the One Health Coordination Platform is to foster collaboration and facilitate dialogues addressing health issues spanning humans, animals (including wildlife), and the environment, which intersect various sectors. This entails (i) enhancing the institutionalization of a functional One Health approach in Liberia to tackle public health challenges, including zoonotic diseases; (ii) formulating collective planning decisions and policy guidance for prevention, detection, response, and recovery, aligning efforts across ministries such as Health, Agriculture, the National Public Health Institute, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Forest Development Authority; (iii) establishing inter-sectoral connections to exchange data, information, resources, and expertise in capacity building; (iv) harnessing the core capabilities of each agency to identify and direct interventions addressing potential threats affecting humans, animals, and the environment across multiple sectors.
As for the Governance model, the Government of Liberia, led by the Office of the Vice President, is committed to sustaining and promoting the One Health approach nationally and regionally. It encourages both public and private institutions to implement One Health activities at various levels. Disease surveillance efforts will be aligned with global health security initiatives, and strict compliance with regional regulations will be ensured. Local and international partners will support Liberia in implementing the One Health approach, providing technical and financial assistance. The One Health Coordination Platform Steering Committee comprises representatives from various sectors, including ministries, academic institutions, and technical organizations. Its roles include advocacy, resource mobilization, and policy development to address public health challenges through multi-sectoral approaches. A One Health Secretariat (OHS) shall be established and will be responsible for coordinating the One Health Coordination Platform, including its technical committees and working groups. This involves managing logistics, communication, and organizing review meetings at different administrative levels. Specific responsibilities of the Secretariat include (i) organizing logistics for OHCP meetings, including those of the Steering Committee and Technical Working Groups; (ii) ensuring clear communication among OHCP members to facilitate effective implementation of activities. This includes (a) developing mechanisms for sharing and analyzing data across sectors and regions, such as maintaining a platform website and distributing printed materials; (b) conducting data analysis and quality assurance reviews; (c) developing integrated dashboards to enhance situational awareness; (iii) supporting coordination structures and review processes across administrative levels by (a) establishing or strengthening coordination structures at county, district, and community levels; (b) assisting in joint supportive supervision at different administrative levels; (c) providing support for semi-annual meetings at the central level and quarterly meetings at the county level.
Internal communication within the OHCP will be facilitated through email panelists managed by the One Health Secretariat (OHS), ensuring the inclusion of all relevant bodies (Steering Committee, OHS, OHTC, and TWGs), while external communication, overseen by the Communication Specialist of the OHS, will involve maintaining a regularly updated website, disseminating quarterly newsletters, and issuing press releases on noteworthy OHCP activities. During outbreaks of priority zoonotic diseases, the OHCP bodies, led by the Chair of the One Health Technical Committee (OHTC), will be notified by the Directors of human, animal, and environmental health surveillance systems, triggering emergency multi-sectoral activities as per disease-specific preparedness plans, aiming to communicate response measures across sectors and potentially activate the Incident Management System, with funding requests coordinated through timely communication with the Ministry of Finance.