On this 13th February, 2025, during the field visit to the Volcanoes National Park, where the Participants of the Workshop on Strengthening One Health-Based Pandemic Prevention Preparedness and Response in the Greater Virunga Landscape (SOHGVL) interacted with Mr. Prosper Uwingeli, the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda, the participants have got a clear picture on interactions between animals from the protected areas, livestock and humans and the associated risks, given the closeness if no action is taken.
It is in this respect that all the participants welcome this three-year project funded by the Pandemic Funds of the World Bank. This project shall be implemented in collaboration between the implementing Entities: FAO, WHO and UNICEF together with the consortium of the three delivering Partners: GVTC, WWF, Gorilla Doctors and their two implementing Partners namely IGCP and IUCN.
This project has a regional perspective ( DRC, Rwanda and Uganda), but in the end, it will contribute to the national priorities as it aims at:
- Strengthen viral pathogen surveillance at high-risk human-animal interfaces.
- Improve health screening, laboratory analysis, and biobanking.
- Establish lab networks across human, animal, and wildlife sectors.
- Develop multi-sectoral digital disease surveillance and early warning systems.
- Integrate One Health-based PPR SOPs and conduct gender-responsive training.
Especially since no one can talk about the region without the countries.
Juvenal Mukeshimana
GVTC Program Assistant
