Overcoming barriers for a One Health approach to water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) interverventions in Burkina Faso, Kenya and Mozambique

The role of animals and animal excreta in the spread of zoonotic disease and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasingly recognized but is still under-researched.

Sanitation interventions generally only address the need for latrines and basic hygiene and most interventions have failed to address the zoonotic risks as well as the environmental load resulting from poor santiation waste management.

To address these gaps, this project will establish a research network of Swedish and international collaborators in Burkina Faso, Kenya and Mozambique enabling the exchange of experiences and the development of research ideas applying a One Health approach to WaSH, addressing negleted links between human, animal and environmental health relevant to WaSH interventions.

The project has the following sub-aims:To establish a network of interdisciplinary collaborators bringing different perspectives to the challenge of reducing zoonotic disease and AMR through WaSH interventions while also enhancing environmental health;To build on network activities to develop a research proposal addressing One Health interactions with WaSH.

The network will involve a series of online thematic seminars to exchange experiences and generate ideas, and hybrid online/in person workshops to develop an international research proposal.The proposed research will address the intersections between SDG 6 (water and sanitation), SDG 3 (health and wellbeing), SDG 2 (ending hunger) and SDG 14 (aquatic ecosystems).