A virtual one health community of practice in West Nile sub-region, Uganda: Implementation experience and participation trends

Uganda faces recurrent and emerging health threats due to its proximity to the biodiverse Congo Basin. A multi-hazard risk assessment using the WHO Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risks identified and prioritized nine public health hazards in the West-Nile sub-region, Uganda. Recognizing that most hazards had significant One Health implications, a One Health Community of Practice (OHCoP) was established to enhance cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination. Based on a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis, virtual engagement was selected as the most feasible, cost-effective, and scalable dissemination strategy. Between April 2023 and September 2024, 11 of 18 planned virtual sessions were conducted, with a median attendance of 33 (range: 20–145), predominantly human health professionals (94%). Although the virtual OHCoP proved a practical and low-cost model for cross-sectoral knowledge exchange, stronger inclusion of non-human health sectors will require improved digital literacy, professional incentives, blended formats, and institutional commitment to joint planning and decision-making.