Health Surveillance in the Arctic: IVLP Participants Convene in Minneapolis and Alaska

May 17, 2018

In an era of rapid social and environmental change around the world, stronger networks of health experts are essential to understanding the risks we face and the strategies we can use to mitigate them. An International Visitor Leadership Program group of nine researchers from member countries of the Arctic Council will meet in the United States over the next 10 days to address public health, medical research and Arctic science issues.

The program will open in Minneapolis before the cohort travels to Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska to meet with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arctic Investigations Program (AIP) and partners to learn about One Health innovations around processes, technology and education in the United States.

As the health experts from abroad learn about life and culture in Alaska, they will also work with their U.S. counterparts to use the One Health approach to address zoonoses, which are diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Because most new infectious diseases spread to people from animals, the One Health approach is increasingly recognized as a key way to curb infectious disease threats to our communities.

One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach -- working at the local, regional, national, and global levels -- with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

The IVLP group will have the opportunity to discuss and share One Health best practices with U.S. federal government Agencies, the State of Alaska, Alaska Native Tribal Health organizations and the University of Alaska. Topics will include infectious disease monitoring and studies of zoonotic disease prevalence in Alaska, environmental and animal health, and laboratory diagnostic tools.

Addressing Arctic issues requires global solutions. Follow #IVLP and #OneHealth for updates on social media and to find out more about public events related to this project,