One Health Approach Takes Center Stage in Collaborative Training Program
Agrilife24.com: The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Rajshahi (RU) was host the Closing and Certification Ceremony for the intensive field training program "Investigating Arthropod Vectors and Vector-Borne Pathogens: One Health Concept" on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, at 1:00 PM in the Dean’s Conference Room (#217).
This ceremony concludes a significant training initiative under the VECTORACT Project, fostering international collaboration between Bangladesh (RU and Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) teams, Vienne University, Austria and Hungary (ELTE University). The program equipped participants with advanced skills in vector surveillance and pathogen detection, emphasizing the critical "One Health" approach linking human, animal, and environmental health.
Distinguished guests and speakers was include:
• Prof. Dr. Md. Jalal Uddin Sarder (Team Lead VECTORACT-RU; Founder Dean, Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Science, RU) - Welcome Address & Reflections on the Training Journey
• Dr. Sajeda Akter, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University VECTORACT Team Leader - Address by Chittagong VECTORACT Team Lead
• Dr. Gabor Kemenesi (VECTORACT Coordinator; Director, National Laboratory of Virology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Hungary) - Keynote Address: Project Vision & Achievements
• Dr. Hans Peter, Vienne University, Austria Address by Austria VECTORACT Team Lead. And Dr. Jony Albart Uelmen, University of Wisconsin, USA
The highlight of the ceremony will be the formal presentation of certificates to the training participants, recognizing their successful completion of the program. Certificates was conferred by Dr. Gabor Kemenesi alongside the Team Leads from the Rajshahi (RU) and Chittagong (CVASU) VECTORACT teams.
The VECTORACT Project is an international collaborative research and capacity-building initiative focused on the surveillance and control of arthropod vectors (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks) and the pathogens they transmit. It emphasizes the "One Health" concept, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health in tackling vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and others. Key partners include Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Hungary and the University of Rajshahi (RU) and University of Chittagong (CU) in Bangladesh.
