The IHR Strengthening Project One Health team travelled to Zambia to facilitate the One Health National Bridging Workshop held in Livingstone, Zambia 19^th to 21^st October 2022. 

National bridging workshops (NBW) provide a formal consultation and structured exercise bringing together national and sub-national stakeholders across Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Livestock, Environment and Wildlife and other relevant sectors to improve cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration in the pursuit of improved national health security and One Health.

The main objective of the NBW was to provide an opportunity for the human and animal health services of Zambia to review their current collaboration gaps in key technical areas and to develop a joint roadmap of corrective measures and strategic investments to improve the work at the animal-human interface in the prevention, detection and control of zoonotic diseases.

The workshop, which was organised by WHO in collaboration with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), UKHSA and Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) was successfully carried out with a number of key technical areas prioritised and specific activities identified to support improved coordination and collaboration. There was good engagement across line ministries and stakeholders, with the importance of the work stressed by both the facilitators and delegates. The roadmap is aligned with the national One Health Strategy and will be implemented within the context of the National Action Planning for Health Security (NAPHS) once the report has been finalised.