The Coordinating Office for Control of Trypanosomiasis in Uganda (COCTU): A One Health Best Practice Case

Uganda Trypanosomiasis Control Council (UTCC) is a parastatal body established in 1992 by a Parliamentary decree of the Government of Uganda (GoU) for purposes of coordinating national and international activities in tsetse and trypanosomiasis research, prevention and control supported by a Coordinating Office for Control of Trypanosomiasis in Uganda (COCTU). The COCTU office was instituted as a National strategic decision to intensify collective and collaborative action to control animal and human trypanosomiasis which had been prevalent since 1900. Through the Coordinating efforts of COCTU, utilizing a One Health approach, Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) cases were eliminated as a human health constraint (reduced to zero) by 2020 after 100 years (1920–2020) of control efforts. This is an example of a One Health Best Practice Case that involved many stakeholders including local communities, GoU Ministries, Departments and Agencies, regional and international organizations, including members of the quadripartite whose cumulative value contributed towards this success. After successful elimination of HAT as a human health constraint, the need for the coordinating office has come into question.