B8448 - One Health, Circular Health, and Veterinary Competent Authorities

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student gains a solid knowledge of the principles of One Health (OH) and Circular Health, and understands the functions and role of veterinary competent authorities. In particular, the student: understands, through practical examples, the main functions of national and international agencies within a One Health framework, the evolution of the OH paradigm in different contexts and the expansion of the OH paradigm towards the concept of Circular Health to address global challenges; is able to interpret the role of national veterinary institutions and international agencies in protecting animal and human health, animal welfare; is able to define sequence and hierarchy of actions aimed at the implementation of health plans in ordinary or emergency situations.

Course contents

Course contents

This course is part of the Integrated Course “Fundamentals of the Veterinary Profession (I.C.)”.

The integrated course "Fundamentals of the veterinary profession" aims to provide the student with adequate knowledge of the fundamental principles of veterinary legislation and economics, in both national and international contexts, the concepts of One Health and Circular Health, as well as the role of the veterinarian and national and supranational institutions in safeguarding animal and human health and welfare. Additionally, the student gains expertise in information digitalization, big data, and artificial intelligence, as well as in ethics, communication, and teamwork, all of which are essential for personal and professional growth.

The Integrated Course “Fundamentals of the Veterinary Profession (I.C.)” contributes to the achievement of the following ESEVT Day One Competences: 1.1, 1.3, 1.8, 1.10, 1.12, 1.25, 1.26, 1.37, 1.38

CONTENUTI SPECIFICI DELL’INSEGNAMENTO:

One Health is defined by WHO as an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. It recognises the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent. In today’s interconnected world this approach is essential to prevent, prepare for and respond to global threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The course covers the following topics (14 hours):

Introduction to One Health (2h)

• One Health definition; Interactions among human, animal and environmental health; global challenges
• Historical evolution: factors leading to the genesis and adoption of the One Health concept

  Evolution from One Health to Circular Health (4 h)

• Climate change, biodiversity and One Health
• Circular Health concept; ecosystem resilience;
• Sustainability, links with SDGs

  Impact of One Health and Circular Health (4 h)

• Expected impact of One Health and Circular Health approaches
• One Health into action: examples of One Health projects and reflections on the project impact

  Local and international governance (4 h)

• Structure, organization of international veterinary authorities and agencies
  • Roles of WOAH, FAO, WHO, UNEP, Codex Alimentarius, European Commission, EFSA, EMA
• The role and functions of the veterinary competent authorities at national level and at international level

• Organisation and responsibilities of Veterinary Services; Ministry of Health; Regions; Local Health Authorities (ASL); IZS; National Reference Centres; EU Official Controls
• Veterinary competent authority’s functions and their integration within the One health domain

There will be 2 practical sessions (6 h):

Practical session 1 (case study): Stakeholder mapping (3 h): Identify institutions involved in managing a zoonotic outbreak; understand interactions between sector

Practical session 2 (Scenario-based learning): One Health simulation exercise (3 h): Small-group exercise on management of an emerging zoonosis (e.g., HPAI, West Nile Virus, ASF or Rift Valley Fever) involving competent authorities

Readings/Bibliography

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching materials for this course are available on the Virtuale Learning Environment (https://virtuale.unibo.it/?lang=en ).

Required readings:

• WHO, FAO, WOAH & UNEP (2022). One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022–2026).

  Supplementary reading:

• One Health: the theory and practice of integrated health approaches. 2nd Edition. Edited by J. Zinsstag. ISBN : 978-1-78924-257-7 2021. CABI.org
• Circular Health. Empowering the One Health Revolution. Ilaria capua. Edited byBocconi University Press
• Sinclair JR. Importance of a One Health approach in advancing global health security and the Sustainable Development Goals. Rev Sci Tech. 2019 May;38(1):145-154. doi: 10.20506/rst.38.1.2949. PMID: 31564744.
• Zinsstag J, et al.,. Climate change and One Health. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2018 Jun 1;365(11):fny085. doi: 10.1093/femsle/fny085. PMID: 29790983; PMCID: PMC5963300.
• Capps B. One health ethics. Bioethics. 2022 May;36(4):348-355. doi: 10.1111/bioe.12984. Epub 2021 Dec 12. PMID: 34897757.
• Serna C, Gonzalez-Zorn B. Antimicrobial resistance and One Health. Rev Esp Quimioter. 2022 Oct;35 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):37-40. doi: 10.37201/req/s03.09.2022. Epub 2022 Oct 24. PMID: 36285856; PMCID: PMC9717456.

  Additional sources:

• European College of Veterinary Public Health https://ecvph.org/
• Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (Animal Health Law).

Teaching methods

The course includes both theoretical lectures and practical sessions.

a. theoretical lectures: frontal lectures carried out by slides show and other media (videos, tutorials) integrated by Q/A sessions

b. seminar/practical: practical lectures carried out by groups of students under the supervision of the teacher (problem solving approach)

Students in working groups will be asked to prepare and present to the class a short report on a topic of interest related to the course subjects.

The involvement of external experts is foreseen for specific topics.

Assessment methods

The final exam of the Integrated Course "“Fundamentals of the Veterinary Profession (I.C.)" consists of two parts (scheduled on the same day).

• The first part is a written test comprising multiple choice questions and open questions covering topics from all courses. Each correct question will earn 1 point (multi choice) and 2 points (open question);

No points will be subtracted in case of wrong answer or unanswered question. No supplementary materials such as books, notebooks, class notes, etc. or electronic devices (e.g., calculators, tablets, smartwatches, computers) may be used during the exam, except for those explicitly allowed by the instructor.

The test assignment will last 2h and will be considered as successful with a minimum grade of 18/30. If needed, a follow-up discussion will allow the Candidate to comment on the wrong answers.

• The second part is an oral exam. The oral exam will consist in an oral presentation of an individual/group assignment report covering topics from the course “One Health, Circular Health, and Veterinary Competent Authorities” aimed at evaluating the acquisition of knowledge and competences in this course. The report should be presented through a power point presentation not exceeding 5 slides for a total of 10 minutes oral discussion. The result of the oral exam will be communicated at the end of the session. The minimum passing grade is 18/30. A minimum score of 18/30 is required to pass the oral exam.

The exam is considered passed only if all parts are successfully completed. The final grade is determined by the average of the grades from the various parts of the exam, expressed out of 30. A minimum final grade of 18/30 is required.

Negative results are not graded numerically but recorded as “withdrawn” or “failed” in the electronic transcript on AlmaEsami, and do not affect the student’s academic record.

Grades for individual parts and the final grade will be published on the AlmaEsami platform (https://almaesami.unibo.it/?lang=en ) within 5 working days of the date of the exam.

Students may reject the final grade 3 times, by informing the course examiner via email within 5 working days.

The designated course contact for this course is Prof. Marco De Nardi

Students can register for exams through the AlmaEsami platform (http://almaesami.unibo.it/ ). Exams are scheduled during the designated periods in the academic calendar. Additional sessions are available for students beyond the standard program duration.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

With regard to the learning assessment, limited, declared, and non-substantive use of AI is permitted for support activities, such as summarization and rephrasing. Substantive use of AI to complete parts of the assessment task is not permitted.

Teaching tools

The theoretical lectures take place in a teaching room properly supplied with multimedia equipment: slide projector for theoretical lessons, computers. Students can use smartphone for interactive sessions. Web survey tools (i.e. Mentimeter or similar) will be used to facilitate interaction with students and stimulate discussions.

During lectures, game-based learning platform (i.e. Kahoot) is used to encourage active learning by multiple choice questions to the audience.

Scientific publications in specialized journals and specialized web sites will be used for interactive discussions.

In case of difficulty understanding the course content, the instructor is available for clarification meetings, which must be scheduled via email.

Office hours

See the website of Marco De Nardi