PACMAN: Training by research to strengthen One Health (OH) approach

Phylum with Francois Gary and Chloé Le Gall-Ladevèze performed the final evaluation of the PACMAN project led by CIRAD (Mathieu Bourgarel and Valerie Kleiber Pinarello) and funded by AFD - Agence Française de Développement (French Development Agency). The main aim of this project was to develop a biomolecular platform within the University of Zimbabwe to develop the diagnosis capacity for research, training and to strengthen the capacity for surveillance and disease control in the country. Despite this tool is a unit of the Veterinary Faculty, this is mutualized laboratory for all faculties for research and training, and for the OH competent authorities.

Several research projects are developed allowing to train research students and to improve the attractivity of this platform for researchers in Southern Africa and international agencies. These research projects are focused on surveillance on emerging zoonotic pathogens, but also on practical innovations for better disease control, as for the footbath for tick borne diseases control adopted by local communities.

This platform is an important tool for Zimbabwe that should be integrated in their operational OH and animal health strategies.