The Democratic Republic of Congo advances toward a National One Health Plan with FAO support

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has taken a major step toward strengthening its capacity to prevent and respond to emerging health threats through the development of a National One Health Plan, supported by FAO and partners under the Greater Virunga One Health Project.

The initiative was launched in Kinshasa during a national validation workshop bringing together representatives from the Government of the DRC, FAO, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the World Bank, and other key stakeholders. Backed by the Pandemic Fund, the effort marks a critical milestone in the country’s ongoing work to integrate human, animal, and environmental health within a single coordinated framework.

“The Democratic Republic of Congo is firmly committed to addressing complex health challenges at the human-animal-environment interface, especially in high-biodiversity areas like the Greater Virunga,” said Prof. Dr Marie-Therese Sombo Safi Ayane Mukuna, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation. “Backed by strong political will and a shared strategic vision, the Pandemic Fund project reflects our ambition to build resilient systems for surveillance, prevention, and response through the One Health approach. By mobilizing all stakeholders and strengthening cross-border cooperation, we are laying the foundation for innovative and sustainable health governance across the region.”

A regional approach to shared threats

The Greater Virunga One Health Project is part of a broader regional programme involving DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda, designed to enhance pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in one of Africa’s most biodiverse and disease-vulnerable ecosystems – the Greater Virunga Landscape.

Home to rich wildlife populations and dense human settlements, this transboundary region is at the frontline of zoonotic risks such as mpox, Ebola, anthrax, and other emerging diseases. Through joint surveillance, harmonized policies, and coordinated action, the project aims to strengthen collective resilience while protecting livelihoods and ecosystems.

FAO’s role in building the DRC’s One Health system

FAO’s technical and policy support to the DRC focuses on integrating animal, human, plant, and ecosystem health and promoting multisectoral coordination. Working closely with the Ministries of Health, Fisheries & Livestock, and Environment, FAO has helped facilitate:

• Design and validation of the national One Health plan, ensuring alignment with international standards such as the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the WOAH Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) framework.
• Surveillance strengthening, including the deployment of FAO’s Event Mobile Application (EMA-i), which allows rapid reporting of animal disease events from the field. The tool was recently used to detect an anthrax outbreak in Virunga National Park, enabling early containment.
• Capacity building for veterinary, public health, and environmental officers through joint training on outbreak investigation, biosafety, and laboratory diagnostics.
• Cross-sectoral coordination mechanisms, ensuring effective collaboration between government agencies, research institutions, and international partners.

These efforts directly support the DRC’s vision of a resilient health system capable of preventing zoonotic diseases before they escalate into national or global crises.

From planning to action

The national validation workshop represents the culmination of several months of stakeholder consultations, field assessments, and technical drafting. Once endorsed, the One Health National Plan will serve as the guiding document for implementing coordinated actions across ministries and provinces.

FAO and its partners will continue to provide technical assistance to operationalize the plan, focusing on high-risk areas such as North Kivu and surrounding regions, where communities live in close proximity to wildlife and forest ecosystems.

About the Greater Virunga One Health Project

The Greater Virunga One Health Project is funded by the Pandemic Fund and jointly implemented by FAO, WHO, and UNICEF in collaboration with national governments and delivery partners such as GVTC, WWF, Gorilla doctors. The project strengthens pandemic prevention and preparedness capacities across DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda, promoting sustainable investments in surveillance, laboratory systems, workforce development, and cross-border collaboration.