About Us - thohun.org

Since 2012, Thailand One Health University Network or THOHUN has responsibility on pre-service training both in future and current workforce to early prevent and protect emerging/ re-emerging diseases in Thailand by integration of collaboration across sectors with respect to One Health approach. The One Health approach is particularly relevant regarding to the control of zoonoses, rabies risk communication and combatting antibiotic resistance. To effectively respond to, and prevent outbreaks of zoonoses, epidemiological data and laboratory information should be shared across sectors.

According to strengthen workforce potential, One Health core competencies (OHCCs) were developed for current workforce based on the Memorandum of Understanding on the Implementation of One Health Initiative for National Health Security which is agreement of 7 Thai ministries (Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Health) and Thai Red Cross. For preparedness to outbreaks prevention, OHCCs were improved and adjusted that suitable for future workforce who will be a future operational person in public health sector both in private and government.

New THOHUN branding has been designed in the same concept of the previous logo but in the proportion or size and quality as well as USAID and other logos of HUNs. The branding composes of symbolic elements that represented interconnection of animal, human and environment, which is represented by blue color THOHUN, denoting unity, collaborative effort, and holistic health. The Thai flag in the letter “O” infers Thai nationality and full name of network is in grey/green color and underneath the logo.

Identity of THOHUN can be seen from its logo composed of four symbolic elements, e.g. the animal and human footprints heading together to the same direction infers equality; the four-rays’ star of Clover leaf within the letter “U” denotes unity, initiative, fortune, and environment; the national flag circular ban hints the Thai identity; and the human holding hands together signifies collaboration.

THOHUN UNIVERSITY MEMBER

THOHUN was established in 2012 by Mahidol University and Chiang Mai University. By 2024, THOHUN has grown its membership to 89 facilties of 16 Thai lead universities.

VISION

Strong, recognized, and sustainable One Health University Network throughout Thailand by 2025, with sustained engagement and partnerships, regional integration, and empowerment

MISSION

Develop and exchange skilled One Health professionals between universities and involved agencies

Support trans-disciplinary collaboration within and between universities and involved agencies

Promote research employing One Health approach to promote the health of humans, animals and environment

Coordinate with other related One Health Networks in region of South East Asia

THOHUN focuses on pre-service workforce training and strengthening outbreak response capacity. It collaboratively works with university partners, i.e. Tufts University and University of Minnesota, and South East Asia University One Health Network (SEAOHUN) to conduct a number of activities to promote “One Health” concept in the Thai society at several levels. The regional network, SEAOHUN, is composed of 14 universities and 83 faculties from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These institutions have jointly exchanged academic resources and advance innovative teaching methodologies, as well as shared professional expertise.

CAPABILITY STATEMENT

The Thailand One Health University Network (THOHUN) is the leading One Health network in Thailand, dedicated to the development of the One Health Workforce for the enhanced prevention, detection, control and response to emerging infectious diseases and health threats in Thailand and the region.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Student education

Supported training of 486 students, ensuring next generation of professionals from medical sciences, public health, veterinary medicine, environmental science, and other disciplines have the skills, characteristics and mindset to apply the One Health approach at their researches and works.

Student engagement

Established Student One Health Ambassadors for peer to peer training of students and community voluntary-based learning to foster innovation, advocacy, and learning for different types of learners across the country.

New curricula

Developed and strengthened One Health-focused training curricula to enhance the education of professionals, Village Health Volunteers and community members across the country for years to come

Faculty development

Trained One Health trainers and developed a toolkit for planning, design and assessment of competency-based education/training for faculty members.

COVID-19 response

Developed platforms and educational programs for healthcare personnel and VHVs to increase capacity in multisectoral coordination and risk communication, and surveillance, prevention and response of rabies and COVID-19 in Thailand.

OUR IMPACT AREAS

Partnering with national and international organizations

Serving as One Health literacy resource

Providing of One Health education and training services in Thailand and the region

WHO WE ARE

Our network comprises schools of public health, medicine, veterinary sciences, environmental sciences, agriculture and education working together to help Thai Government to address gaps in knowledge and skill within the One Health workforce and transform workforce capability to address complex health challenges through transdisciplinary and multisectoral efforts in Thailand

POWER OF THE NETWORK

For over a decade, THOHUN has trained and empowered One Health leaders across Thailand to address global health threats. By bringing faculty, researchers, working professionals from diverse sectors, and students together in a network, competency-based and transdisciplinary expertise can be developed, best practices and lessons learned can be shared, and increased focus on One Heatlh is cultivated.

SPOTLIGHT ACITIVITES 2023

SUPPORTING THAILAND JEE CAPABILITIES

ONE HEALTH WORKFORCE STRATEGY & TRAINING

Prevent

12 indicators

Detect

14 indicators

Respond

06 indicators

SURVEILLANCE & AMR STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES

04 indicators

MULTISECTORAL COORDINATION IMPLEMENTATION

09 indicators

SURVEILLANCE AND PREVENTION OF ZOONOTIC DISEASES

04 indicators

RISK COMMUNICATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

09 indicators

THOHUN ACTIVITIES

Flagship One Health Course

THOHUN’s flagship course, “Thailand One Health University Network – Environment Literacy Institute (THOHUN-ELI), is an experiential learning program based in the community for undergraduate students, graduate students, and governmental personnel from multiple health sectors. Training focuses on One Health issues; risk detection and analysis, risk communication and design and application of social innovation to address a real-life OH problems and community outreach by a 2-week field-based projects

Community zoonotic surveillance & response

THOHUN developed a training platform for Village Health
Volunteers in “Advocacy and response to emerging disease
outbreaks” to equip them with update knowledge in One Health and emerging EIDs and simple tools and techniques for surveillance for potential public health threats of the community, and advocacy and risk communication to their community members. The VHVs were trained on defining of relevant stakeholders and development of high-impact and simple plans to reduce the risks through collaborative actions to address the public health issues in their communities.

One Health Smart Lane Learning Management System

THOHUN is developing an online platform to expand access for continuing education of students, faculty staff, in-service professionals, and VHVs in Thailand and the region, and affiliated with the SEAOHUN One Health Workforce Academy for quality assurance and credentialing. Some courses were opened for free participation and pilot in 2023.

The USAID One Health Workforce (OHW) Project, also launched in 2014, aims to achieve such a workforce transformation. Focusing on two infectious disease hot spot regions, Central and Eastern Africa and Southeast Asia, OHW strengthens training and educational programs in universities to create a skilled workforce in using a transdisciplinary approach known as One Health. The One Health approach brings together disciplines such as medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, nursing, ecology to work together to more effectively address emerging challenges at the interface of animals, humans and the environment. Emerging infectious diseases are one of the most pressing of such challenges.

In 2014, the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) was launched to “accelerate progress towards a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious disease.” A central component of the GHSA strategy is building the capacity of the global health workforce to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging infectious diseases. Beyond the concentrated attention in the GHSA Action Package dedicated to workforce development, there are milestones throughout the 11 Action Packages which aim to equip a new, transformed, transdisciplinary workforce with the tools and capacities needed for quick detection, action and collaboration across sectors to prevent and stop disease where it starts.