A “One Health” approach is critical to effectively addressing emerging and transnational public health threats in Vietnam. “One Health” provides a coordinated approach to counter emerging infectious disease threats at the interface of animal, human, and ecosystem health, where most new diseases emerge. On August 14-15, USAID’s Preparedness and Response project and the Vietnam One Health Partnership, consisting of domestic and international partners, organized a One Health Assessment workshop in Ninh Binh Province to assess the performance of the One Health collaboration in Vietnam. Participants identified strengths and gaps in current One Health coordination systems, and determined priorities and opportunities for inter-sectoral collaboration in the future.

So What? As USAID enters its fifth and final year of activity support to One Health coordination under its Emerging Pandemic Threats program, this workshop comes at an opportune time to explore options and opportunities for the Vietnamese Government and other stakeholders to ensure sustained support for One Health coordination and collaboration in Vietnam.