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One Health • Western Balkans

WOAH supports One Health workforce development in the Western Balkans

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WOAH participated in a sub‑regional workshop on workforce development for the effective management of zoonotic diseases, organised by WHO/Europe in collaboration with Quadripartite partners and funded by the European Union under the EU4Health cross‑border action. The three‑day event brought together representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova and Serbia to strengthen multisectoral workforce capacities using the One Health approach.

The workshop supported countries in applying the Tripartite Zoonoses Guide Workforce Development Operational Tool (WFD OT) to identify priority functions, occupations and competencies needed for effective zoonotic disease management. Participants also assessed institutional capacities and explored challenges within their enabling environments.

Through a combination of technical sessions, group exercises and country presentations, the programme helped map available training resources and competency‑based education opportunities at global, regional and national levels. This process will inform the integration of findings into national workforce and health security plans.

The event contributed to establishing a cadre of trainers who will support future in‑country workforce development initiatives. By reinforcing multisectoral collaboration across human, animal, environmental and food safety sectors, the workshop strengthens the region’s capacity to address health threats at the human–animal–environment interface.

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22 April 2026
Time Session Responsible person(s)
08:30-09:00 Participant registration All participants
09:00-09:20 Welcome remarks

 

 Ministry of Health

Ministry of Agriculture

Miljana Grbic, WHO Representative to Moldova

Lajos Bognár, Representative of WOAH Subregional Office in Brussels
09.20-09.30 Group Photo
09.30-09.40 Background and objectives

Re-cap of previous One Health activities in the Western Balkans

Overview of agenda

 Peter Sousa Hoejskov, WHO
09:40-10:00 Introduction of participants
10:00-10:30 Coffee / Tea
10.30-12.00 Progress on operationalizing the One Health approach in the Western Balkans – country presentations Country representatives
12.00-12.30 Introduction to the WFD OT

·       Overview of WFD OT

·       Overview and outcomes of pilot workshops

·       List of materials to be used and shared with participants

·       Q&A

 Ong-orn Prasarnphanich, WHO

 
12.30-13:30 Lunch
13.30-14.15 Module 1: Setting up

·       Step 1 – Generate buy-in and secure agreement to use the WFD OT

·       Step 2 – Identify a steering committee, technical team and users

·       Step 3 – Conduct a situation analysis and set the scope

·       Examples from pilot countries

·       Q&A

 Peter Hoejskov, WHO
14.15-14.45 Module 2 Workforce Analysis:

·       Introduction to Step 4 workforce functions for zoonotic disease management

·       Distribution of glossary

·       Introduction to exercise 1 part 1

·       Q&A

 Valeria Colombo (WOAH)
14.45-15.15 Coffee/ Tea break
15.15-15.45 Walk through/ Demonstration of exercise 1 part 1:

Conceptualize functions with disease scenario

 Group work

 
15.45-16.00 Introduction to exercise 1 part 2

·       Review WFD OT functions, add any missing ones

·       Select priority functions and revise them according to the country context

 Valeria Colombo (WOAH)
16.00-16.30 Walk through/ Demonstration of exercise 1 part 2:

·       Review WFD OT functions, add any missing ones

·       Select priority functions and revise them according to the country context

 Group work

 
16.30-17.00 Plenary sharing and discussion on exercise 1

Consensus on priority functions among all groups

 All participants
23 April 2026
Time Session Responsible person(s)
09:00-09:15 Welcome and Day 1 recap Ong-orn Prasarnphanich, WHO
09:15-09:30 Module 2 Workforce Analysis:

·       Introduction to Step 5 occupations to address zoonotic diseases and to exercise 2 part 1

·       Q&A

 Ong-orn Prasarnphanich, WHO
09:30-10:30 Walk through/ Demonstration of exercise 2 part 1

·       Review occupations according to the country context

·       Select up to 15 occupations for the exercise

 Group work
10:30-10:50 Coffee / Tea
10:50-11:00 Introduction to exercise 2 part 2

·       Match and rate occupations and functions

·       Introduction to Step 6 Identify needs and challenges

·       Q&A

 Peter Hoejskov, WHO
11:00-12:00 Walk through/ Demonstration of exercise 2 part 2:

·       Match and rate functions by occupations

·       Step 6 Identify needs and challenges

 Miljan Rancic, WHO (step 6)
12:00-12.30  Plenary sharing and discussion on exercise 2 Plenary
12:30-13.00 Module 2 Workforce Analysis:

·       Introduction to Step 7 competencies and competency packages associated with functions

·       Introduction to exercise 3

·       Q&A

 Ong-orn Prasarnphanich, WHO
13:00-14.00 Lunch
14:00-14:45 Walk through/ Demonstration of exercise 3

·       Review and prioritize competency packages

 Group work
14:45-15:15 Plenary sharing and discussion on exercise 3 Plenary
15:15-15.45 Coffee / Tea
15:45-16.00 Module 3 Sustainable Workforce Development Planning:

·       Overview of education and training resources and options to strengthen identified competencies

·       Q&A

 Ong-orn Prasarnphanich, WHO
16.00-16.30 Plenary discussion Plenary
16:30-17.00  Wrap up of Day 2 Peter Hoejskov, WHO
24 April 2026
Time Session Responsible person(s)
09:00-09:15 Module 3 Sustainable Workforce Development Planning:

·       Introduction to Step 8 exercise 4

·       Q&A

 Ong-orn Prasarnphanich, WHO
09:15-9:45 Walk through/ Demonstration of exercise 4:

·       Identify regional and in-country resources and match to competency packages

 Group work
9:45-10:00 Plenary sharing and discussion on exercise 4 All participants
10:00-10:15 Coffee / Tea
10:15-11:00 Module 3 Sustainable Workforce Development Planning:

·       Introduction to Workforce planning and monitoring and evaluation (M&E)

·       Introduction to exercise 5 on template for workforce planning

·       Q&A

 Peter Hoejskov
11:00-11:15 Walk through/ Demonstration of exercise 5:

·       Template for workforce planning (linking needs, competencies, and resources)

 Group work
11:00-11:45 Plenary sharing and discussion on exercise 5 All participants
10:45-12:00 Recommendations and next steps

·       Plans for national-level WFD OT engagement

·       Q&A

 Peter Hoejskov
12:00-12:15 Closing remarks WHO/WOAH

Ministry of Health Moldova
12:15-13.00 Lunch