Technical Working Groups
There are nine (9) TWGs to the Liberia One Health Coordination Platform, at the national level, who, on the overall, shall carryout activities that realize the objectives of the OHP in routine practice throughout existing and newly developed systems and processes for quality improvement.
There are nine (9) TWGs at the national level, comprising subject matter experts (SMEs) from various One Health implementing agencies, including technical heads, directors, focal persons, and technical partners.
- Epi Surveillance
- Laboratory
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
- Preparedness and Response
- Workforce
- Risk Communication and Community Engagement
- Food Safety
- Points of Entry
- Research & Innovation
At the sub-national level, there are five (5):
- EPI Surveillance and Points of Entry
- Laboratory/Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
- Preparedness and Response/Workforce
- Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)
- Research & Innovation
Leadership in the TWGs is rotational for a period of two years, with a chair, co-chair, and a secretary. The core functions of these specialized technical working groups are:
- Plan, organize and provide technical assistance to the county, district, facility and or community implementing teams
- Rollout standard and operational guidelines
- Provide technical guidance to frontline field workers
- Provide technical advice to the One Health Steering Committee at the national level
The Surveillance Technical Working Group is responsible for the development of technical and operational tools to support the strengthening of national disease control strategies (IDSR, ADSR e.tc,). It serves as an inter-ministerial, multi-disciplinary technical group with oversight and ensure technical capacity for human-animal-ecosystem interface for the surveillance system. The Surveillance TWG is charged to raise awareness among government, funding agencies and other strategic partners so that surveillance is given higher priority and visibility. It is responsible to establish a mechanism for effective exchange of information and improve collaboration among governments, organizations, institutions, agencies engaged in human- animal-ecosystem interface.
The Laboratory Technical Working Group coordinates with relevant institutions to improve diagnostic capacity through training opportunities for laboratory technicians (long- and short- term), including revision of curricula for in-service and pre-service institutions and the conduct of regular supervision and on-site mentoring. The Laboratory TWG advocates to institutionalize a laboratory training program within higher learning institutions (Master and PhD level), supports and ensures laboratory facilities and/or institutions perform competent diagnostic procedures and calibration to obtain accurate testing results.
Contact: labtwg@onehealthliberia.org
The AMR Technical Working Group advocates and supports awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education and training. It promotes innovation and supports operational research, reduces incidence of infection through effective sanitation, hygiene and infection, prevention, and control measures. The AMR promotes optimal use of antimicrobials agents in human and animal health and identifies opportunities for economic investment to ensure sustainability of innovations.
Contact: amrtwg@onehealthliberia.org
As part of its core functions, the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Technical Working Group advocates and supports the development and dissemination of protocols, guidelines and manuals for different sectors (human, animal and environmental). It jointly develops a national integrated EPR framework and supports and advocates for needed human resource capacity at different levels in the context of One Health (human, animal and environmental). It is charged to organize and hold regular cross-border and intra-county meetings to support information sharing for tracking events including effective networking, monitoring of potential threats and identifying opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders.
Contact: eprtwg@onehealthliberia.org
The Workforce Technical Working Group of the Liberia One Health Platform is one of the nine (9) National Technical areas. It supports the development of a disease surveillance workforce strategy to help respond to infectious diseases linked to human, animal and environmental health in the context of One Health. It is charged to conduct periodic assessments to determine capacity needs, available capacity, and gaps for disease surveillance and response in the country in the context of One Health (Epi Surveillance, Laboratory, Risk Communication and Community Engagement, Antimicrobial Resistance, Preparedness and Response, Coordination, Financial Management). It also provides technical guidance in developing training plans (pre-service and in-service) including short and long-term across sectors (human, animal and environmental).
Contact: workforcetwg@onehealthliberia.org
It is the responsibility of the National Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Technical Working Group to ensure that Risk Communication and Community Engagement activities are undertaken in accordance with relevant SOPs. The RCCE TWG is responsible for leading the Risk communication and community engagement activities across all sectors. Note there shall be a two-year tenure of leadership on a rotational basis. As part of its core functions, the RCCE TWG strengthens RCCE mechanisms to improve awareness, messaging, and materials across all One Health sectors (human, animal, and environment) with a dedicated core team of specialized individuals.
Contact: rccetwg@onehealthliberia.org
As part of its functions, the Food Safety Technical Working Group shall advocate and support awareness and understanding of Food Safety through effective communication, education and training; identify and describe current and future challenges along the agri-food supply chain; provide technical guidance on food safety issues, including risks assessment, risk engagement and risk communication. The TWG shall also advise the OH Technical Committee on the update of the Global Strategy for Food Safety and any other matters (implementation, monitoring and evaluation) relating to the strategy, among others.
The Points of Entry Technical Working Group shall among other functions serve as an inter-ministerial, multi-disciplinary technical group with oversight and ensure technical capacity for human, animal, plant and environment interface for the surveillance system; provide regular reports to the One Health Technical Committee on port health activities; establish a mechanism for effective exchange of information; pursue integrated cost-effective approaches to prevent and control programs; operationalize preparedness and management of zoonotic disease epidemics at various points of entry; and enhance efforts to prevent and control zoonotic infection at points of entry.
The Research and Innovation Technical Working Group shall promote evidence-based innovations (digital health, AI, vaccines, diagnostics) and support operational research; coordinate the evaluation of new technologies/methodologies for public health application; advise on ethical, regulatory, and implementation frameworks; facilitate knowledge dissemination and uptake into policy and identify priority research areas in the context of One Health (e.g., disease prevention, health equity, emerging threats). This TWG shall also foster collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and private sector partners and support funding mobilization for high-impact public health research.