"One health" frameworks promoting intersectoral collaboration between the animal health and public health sectors have been increasingly recognized as needed to effectively address the threat of zoonotic diseases at the human-animal interface. For some zoonoses it has already been shown that the control of disease in its animal reservoir is economically beneficial to the public health sector, but the same analysis has not been carried out for surveillance programmes on zoonoses in its animal reservoir. While surveillance of zoonotic diseases in animals is anticipated to translate into economic benefits for the public health sector, it is also likely that different surveillance designs, the biology of the hazard under consideration, and country settings will impact the results.
Building upon work already developed on the economic analysis of surveillance in the animal health sector and on the societal cost of zoonotic disease from a cross-sectoral perspective, a framework for the assessment of the economic impact from a public health perspective of different zoonosis surveillance designs in the animal population will be developed. This framework will be applied to 3-5 case studies, using different diseases and different geographic and resource settings.
The primary aim of the research is to support public health and animal health decision makers on how to set priorities in resource allocation to surveillance of zoonotic diseases. A literature review will be carried out in first phase of the project and will inform the development of the framework and the selection of 3-5 case studies, used to illustrate the methodological approach. An advisory group for the project, consisting of public health and animal health experts, will ensure regular feedback from the animal health and public health sectors throughout the project, including in the selection of relevant case studies for the application of the framework. The results of this work will be shared through the publication of scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journal and in a stakeholder's workshop, in addition to the thesis. Other non-scientific publications are also expected to occur.
Results of this project can be directly applicable in ongoing surveillance programmes targeting zoonotic diseases and can inform planning of effective and efficient future surveillance programmes for zoonoses, ultimately contributing to the sustained advancement of public health in Switzerland.
