NOUN Professor Emphasizes Importance of Public Health Education in Achieving One Health Concept

A Professor of Public Health at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Gloria Oiyahumen Anetor, has declared that achieving the One Health concept is impossible without robust and widespread public health education.

She made this assertion during the 33rd Inaugural Lecture of NOUN, held at the university's headquarters in Abuja.

Anetor emphasized that public health education is the "front row" of any national health strategy and warned that neglecting it leaves a dangerous gap in global health preparedness. She called for greater investment in school-based programmes, graduate studies, and community-led initiatives, highlighting the crucial role of health educators in translating complex health information into life-saving community programs.

The professor stressed that human health is inseparable from animal and environmental health, citing the fact that over 60% of human diseases are zoonotic. She emphasized the need for an integrated health approach, citing historical and contemporary examples that reinforce the relevance of the One Health model.

Anetor urged policymakers to embed public health education within national health and environmental strategies, fostering a unified approach to address One Health challenges. She also called for livestock vaccination programmes, better sanitation, and cooperative health initiatives involving veterinarians and human healthcare workers.

The professor concluded that One Health is not just a theory, but a blueprint for survival in an increasingly interconnected world, and without public health education, that blueprint is incomplete. Her lecture was well-received by the academic community, with the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters, commending her scholarly achievements and commitment to academia and society.