A decade of academic and research partnership advances One Health in Vietnam

In northern Vietnam, Thai Nguyen province has become one of the most active hubs for advancing the One Health approach, connecting human, animal, and environment health through education, research, and practice at the grassroots.

Over the past decade, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry have worked closely with the Vietnam One Health University Network and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to turn One Health theory into classroom learning and community practice.

“Thai Nguyen is an active advocate of the One Health movement in Vietnam,” says Hung Nguyen, regional director for ILRI Asia.

Building capacity from the ground up

Since joining the One Health network in 2012, the two universities have jointly developed curricula, shared training resources, and carried out field-based learning activities that allow students to apply what they learn in real-world settings.

At Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, a two-credit-hour One Health course combines theory and practice.

Each year, nearly 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students study antimicrobial resistance, environmental protection, food safety, waste management, and zoonotic diseases.

Photo: A live chicken vendor weighs a chicken in Hung Yen province, Vietnam (credit: ILRI/Nguyen Ngoc Huyen).

Curated by Tezira Lore, Communication Officer, ILRI