Launch of the Collaborative One Health Research Initiative on Epidemics

Over the last few decades, the magnitude and frequency of epidemics and pandemics around the world has increased. Epidemics like SARS-CoV, H1N1, H5N1, MERS, Ebola and COVID-19 have been devastating — causing significant loss of lives and livelihoods, ravaging economies and healthcare systems and disrupting regional and global health security. 

Small- and large-scale infectious disease outbreaks have not only had devastating impacts, particularly for women, children and other vulnerable and marginalized groups, but they have also deepened and exacerbated the existing social and economic inequalities that these groups already face, rolling back decades of advancements. 

Within this context, IDRC launched the CAD18 million COHRIE Initiative in 2021. COHRIE contributes to global efforts for equitable epidemic and pandemic prevention and response using an intersectional approach. It supports research that applies a One Health approach to identify, implement and assess potential innovations in policies, programs or practices and it assists countries in improving their prevention, preparation and response to emerging epidemics.

Three research projects are being supported through COHRIE in sub-Saharan Africa (in Uganda; Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria) and a fourth research project is being supported in Latin America and the Caribbean (in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru). In addition, a fifth project will coordinate knowledge mobilization efforts across the project cohort to facilitate the uptake and use of evidence in national and global programs, policies and practices. 

Read the COHRIE brief to learn more about these projects.

Register for the Canadian Conference on Global Health to attend the project launch event on November 23 at 11:00 am EST.