Introduction: Emerging zoonoses such as Ebola, Lassa fever, and COVID-19 have exposed critical vulnerabilities in Africa’s public health systems, especially at the interface of human, animal, and environmental interactions. Although the One Health approach provides a collaborative framework to tackle these complex challenges, its effectiveness in Africa requires adaptation to local contexts.
Methods: This short communication synthesizes recent literature and case examples from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and other African nations to examine the practical implementation of One Health strategies across the continent.
Results: Findings highlight persistent barriers, including inadequate funding, fragmented cross-sectoral coordination, and limited engagement of communities. However, successful initiatives demonstrate that integrating traditional knowledge such as local beliefs, practices, and healing systems, and grassroots structures like community-based organizations and informal governance systems, can enhance the reach and relevance of One Health interventions.
Conclusion: Building Africa’s resilience to future zoonotic threats requires more than the adoption of global One Health frameworks. It demands a shift toward culturally grounded, community-led strategies that leverage local expertise and social systems. Renewed investment in these context-specific approaches is crucial for sustainable public health outcomes.