SEAOHUN was honoured to join the official launch of the ASEAN–UK Health Security Partnership Programme (HSP) on 17 July 2026, hosted by the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal graced the occasion, alongside H.E. Mr. Pattana Promphat, Minister of Public Health of Thailand, and Mr. Mark Gooding, British Ambassador to Thailand — a gathering that reflected the strong and growing partnership between the United Kingdom, Thailand, and ASEAN in advancing regional health security. SEAOHUN is honoured to stand among the inaugural HSP grantees. During the ceremony, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal presented certificates to the successful grantees, recognizing projects that will strengthen regional health security through climate resilience, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the One Health approach. With this support, SEAOHUN will launch the ASEAN One Health Climate Fellowship Programme, a regional initiative dedicated to strengthening leadership and collaboration at the intersection of climate change and One Health.

Angkor Borei and Ba Srae Communes, Takeo Province, Cambodia — 7–9 August 2026 A team of public health and pharmacy students from the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Cambodia, completed a three-day community training on the prevention and control of avian influenza (H5N1) in two rural communes of Takeo Province. The initiative, supported by Chevron under the SEAOHUN One Health Campus-to-Community (OH-C2C) Challenge, represents Cambodia's winning team in the SEAOHUN 2026 regional student competition. Bringing Together Community and Local Government The training, held on 8 August, brought together 56 members of Village Health Support Groups (VHSGs) alongside commune council members, environmental officers, and agriculture officers from Angkor Borei and Ba Srae communes. This cross-sector participation reflected the project's One Health approach, connecting human health, animal health, and environmental stakeholders around a shared local risk. Sessions covered three core areas: H5N1 awareness — understanding the risks, warning signs, and prevention of avian influenza. Safe carcass disposal — practical, low-cost methods for handling and disposing of dead poultry to limit disease spread. Community reporting — a dedicated Facebook group set up to strengthen early reporting of suspected bird deaths and speed up information-sharing between villages and local authorities. Pre- and Post-Test Results Pre- and post-test assessments showed an improvement in participants' understanding of H5N1 risks and prevention practices. Facilitators reported active engagement throughout the sessions, with participants asking detailed questions and expressing interest in applying the safety measures in their own villages. A One Health Approach in Practice "This project is more than just raising awareness — it's about working together with communities to protect people, animals, and our shared environment," the UHS student team shared. The training is part of the team's broader OH-C2C project, A Community-Based One Health Approach for Health Promotion, Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza (H5N1) in a Rural Commune, Cambodia, which continues through October 2026 with further community engagement and a digital early-reporting system planned as part of its final deliverables. The UHS student team extends heartfelt thanks to the Village Health Support Group members and commune officials in Angkor Borei and Ba Srae for their partnership in this effort, and to Chevron for its funding support of the OH-C2C Challenge.

“It broadened my understanding of One Health and gave me a much bigger, more global perspective.” Mark Jaypee C. Gonzales was one of SEAOHUN's 2023 Fellows and an instructor at Central Bicol University of Agriculture, a university in the Philippines, before joining the program. Fresh out of a master's degree in veterinary medicine (Public Health) from the University of the Philippines – Los Baños, he was eager to learn beyond his local setting and expand his professional network and experience. Jaypee was matched with the World Organisation for Animal Health's Sub-Regional Representation for South-East Asia (WOAH SRR-SEA). His first task was building an interactive dashboard to track rabies cases across the region, his introduction to Power BI. Drawing on WOAH's existing notes and data, he worked with the team to complete the map. The dashboard draft debuted at World Rabies Day 2023, then traveled further than Jaypee expected: to the SEAOHUN 2024 International Conference in Chiang Mai, the 17th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics in Sydney, and to first place at the 1st Philippine One Health Conference in Manila. He kept building. Jaypee helped design a study estimating the stray dog population in Bali, working alongside mentors, Mission Rabies, and the APCAT initiative. He also contributed to a One Health Training Catalogue for Southeast Asia, coordinating with SEAOHUN's country liaisons to bring the project together. It was later published as a chapter in the One Health Atlas (CABI, 2025). "This placement taught me to work well in an international team and gave me the tools to handle complex projects," Jaypee said. "It broadened my understanding of One Health and gave me a much bigger, more global perspective." The fellowship followed him home. He was promoted to Assistant Professor II, and as the university's Director for Research at the time, he advocated for One Health to be made a priority in the university's research policy. Together with early career professionals, he also co-led the 3rd Annual Ecohealth Global Summit, organized with the Network for Ecohealth and One Health. Today, he is regularly invited by government agencies, schools, universities, and communities to serve as a resource person for One Health and animal welfare talks. He also lectures on One Health, zoonoses, and food hygiene at veterinary board review centers, helping graduates prepare for their licensure exam, and works with JoVE, an international journal that connects him to researchers across Asia-Pacific and Europe. For Jaypee, the fellowship's value reaches well past his own career. "The clearest proof this program works is what happens after fellows go home," he said. "It doesn't just train one person. It sends that person back with new knowledge, new connections, and new values, and they carry all of that into their own institutions and communities." That is the outcome SEAOHUN set out to build when it launched the Fellowship: a stronger, more connected One Health workforce across Southeast Asia, and a network of universities and professionals working together across human, animal, and environmental health. Jaypee's placement, and the work it produced, is one direct result of that goal. It is also one of 31 fellowship placements SEAOHUN has supported since 2014, across all seven member countries. His advice for the next person considering the fellowship is simple. "I encourage you to apply," Jaypee said. "Believe in yourself and the experience you bring, and stay open to learning from others."

A One Health courtesy visit to WWF-Laos office, provided an opportunity to share some information with the VaRaHa Youth Heroes team practical, community-tested guidance for their zoonotic disease and wildlife conservation project — and a renewed appreciation for what teamwork can achieve. In Lao PDR, the risks of zoonotic disease and wildlife trade rarely stay confined to one field of study. They sit at the intersection of environment, animals, and people — which is exactly why the student team behind VaRaHa Youth Heroes: Zoonotic Prevention & Wildlife Conservation Initiative, one of nine winning teams in the 2026 SEAOHUN One Health Campus-to-Community (OH-C2C) Challenge, chose to learn directly from an organisation already working on the ground. On Wednesday, 24 June 2026, the team visited WWF-Laos office in Vientiane capital, Laos to learn about WWF-Laos’ work on wildlife-related zoonotic disease prevention, particularly through the wildlife conservation projects . WWF-Laos representatives warmly welcomed the students, sharing some insights from years of working with local communities on conservation and biosecurity issues. They discussed with the team the experiences of working with local communities, coordinating with the government partners, implementing wildlife campaigns. They also highlighted key challenges faced in the field, including public perception of wildlife consumption, the actions needed to strengthen wildlife conservation, and how these effort contribute to the preventing future zoonotic disease outbreaks. “Working as a team is much better than working alone — we could connect and collaborate across different fields, just like the One Health concept itself.” — VaRaHa Youth Heroes team, Lao PDR Turning Insight into a Sharper Action Plan The visit reshaped how the team plans to approach its own community engagement. Drawing on WWF-Laos' initial guidance, the students are refining their pre- and post-assessment strategy to better understand why community members hunt or consume wildlife, their level of awareness of the associated health risks, and how their workshop content can be adapted to reflect what they learn. That anticipatory planning — building the ability to assess the potential obstacles before they arise was one of the visit's most valuable takeaways. For the students, the experience underscored a lesson at the heart of One Health itself: complex problems at the human–animal–environment interface cannot be addressed by a single discipline alone. The VaRaHa Youth Heroes team brings together students from environmental science, veterinary medicine, and human health, and their exchange with WWF-Laos further highlighted the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration in strengthening their project and broadening it perspective. The team left the WWF office inspired, more confident, and better prepared to bring their work to communities near the Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area. SEAOHUN thanks WWF-Laos for generously sharing its time, expertise, and field experience in support of this exchange — a partnership that reflects the collaborative, cross-sector spirit the OH-C2C Challenge was designed to cultivate. ABOUT THE PROJECT VaRaHa Youth Heroes is led by student teams from the National University of Laos and the University of Health Sciences, working with the Social Environmental Education and Development (SEED) group. The project is one of nine winning teams in the 2026 SEAOHUN One Health Campus-to-Community (OH-C2C) Challenge, a regional student competition supported by Chevron, running from June to October 2026 with a regional showcase planned for November 2026.

The Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN), with support from Chevron, participated in the Global Health Security Conference 2026 (GHS2026) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 9–12 June 2026. Executive Director Dr. Tongkorn Meeyam represented the network, joining global leaders, researchers, policymakers, and development partners to exchange knowledge and strengthen collaboration on global health security. The conference underscored the growing importance of the One Health approach in tackling interconnected challenges across human, animal, and environmental health. Sessions focused on deepening interdisciplinary collaboration, investing in workforce development, and building integrated strategies to respond to emerging infectious diseases, climate-related health risks, and other global threats. SEAOHUN's participation reflects its mission to empower a resilient One Health workforce across Southeast Asia — bridging academic excellence with government and community action to build lasting regional leadership in health, animal, and environmental well-being. The conference also opened new opportunities for SEAOHUN to engage international organizations, academic institutions, and regional partners — connections that will help strengthen One Health education, leadership, and workforce capacity across the region. As global health challenges continue to evolve, SEAOHUN remains committed to advancing collaboration, innovation, and workforce development that equips communities across Southeast Asia to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats together.

Walasinee Sakcamduang is a veterinarian, educator, and academic leader with expertise in small animal internal medicine and cardiology. She holds Diplomate status from the Asian College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the Veterinary Council of Thailand. She earned her DVM from Kasetsart University and a PhD in Veterinary Cardiology from Royal Veterinary College. Currently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Mahidol University, Dr. Sakcamduang has made significant contributions to veterinary education, clinical practice, and research. She has held leadership roles within the Veterinary Council of Thailand, including serving as Secretariat of the Thailand Board of Veterinary Specialties and the College of Veterinary Medicine. She also served as President of the Veterinary Practitioner Association of Thailand and Chair of the Thailand One Health University Network. She currently serves as Chair of the Southeast Asia One Health University Networks Foundation Board. Her research focuses on cardiovascular medicine, infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, epidemiology, and One Health, promoting collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.

Dr. Chea Bunna is a researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), Cambodia, and serves as a liaison for the Cambodia One Health University Network (CAMBOHUN). He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from RUA, a Master’s degree in Agrofood Chain from the University of Toulouse III, France, and a PhD in Agricultural Science from RUA. His research and professional interests focus on food safety, antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, animal health, and public health. Dr. Bunna has extensive experience in research, teaching, and capacity building, and has contributed to numerous national and international projects related to livestock health, prudent antimicrobial use, and One Health. He has authored several scientific publications and remains actively engaged in advancing veterinary education, research, and public health development in Cambodia.

Nguyen Thi Bich Thao, PhD, is a lecturer in the Faculty of Environmental and Occupational Health at Hanoi University of Public Health. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology, a Master’s degree in Tropical Medicine in KhonKaen University, Thailand, and a PhD in Public Health from Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. Dr. Thao previously served as a Technical Specialist at the Vietnam One Health University Network National Coordinating Office (VOHUN NCO) and as a researcher at the Center for Public Health and Ecosystem Research (CENPHER). With more than 15 years of experience in research and network coordination, her work focuses on One Health approaches to zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety, tobacco control, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), school health, and public health interventions. She has actively contributed to regional and multidisciplinary collaborations in research, training, and capacity strengthening within the One Health network in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thanh Hien is Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Nong Lam University, Vietnam. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1999 and worked as a researcher before pursuing postgraduate studies abroad. He completed a master’s degree in Preventive Veterinary Medicine at the University of California (USA) and a doctoral degree in Veterinary Epidemiology at the University of Guelph (Canada), with research focused on infectious disease modeling. Since returning to Vietnam in 2012, he has been actively involved in teaching, research, and capacity building in veterinary epidemiology, public health, and zoonotic diseases. He has also contributed to national and international One Health initiatives and is an active supporter of One Health collaboration in Vietnam.

Dr. Somvai Singhaxaiyaseng is a medical doctor specializing in tropical medicine and public health. He is affiliated with the University of Health Sciences under the Ministry of Health, Lao PDR. He currently works in the Cabinet of Administration and also practices at Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane. He serves as Vice Coordinator of Lao One Health University Network (LAOOHUN). His work focuses on strengthening healthcare systems, advancing medical education, and addressing public health challenges in Lao PDR. He has a strong interest in the One Health approach and has been actively involved in research, training, and collaborative initiatives aimed at improving disease prevention and health outcomes.

Dr. Neil C. Tanquilut is the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and a recognized leader in veterinary education and public health in the Philippines. He currently serves as Country Coordinator of the Philippine One Health University Network, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration to address zoonotic diseases and emerging health threats through the One Health approach. He is also the Officer-in-Charge Chair of the Commission on Higher Education Veterinary Technical Panel, where he contributes to policy development, curriculum standards, and quality assurance in veterinary education nationwide. Dr. Tanquilut is the President of the Philippine Association of Veterinary Medical Educators and Schools, advocating for academic excellence and institutional collaboration among veterinary schools. His work focuses on advancing veterinary education, strengthening workforce development,and enhancing research and extension programs. Through his leadership roles, he continues to influence national initiatives in animal health, public health, and higher education, contributing to the development of a globally competitive veterinary profession.

Dr. Meeyam currently holds the position of Executive Director at the Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN). Since May 2023, she has served as the Deputy Project Director (Transition Award) at the SEAOHUN Secretariat. Prior to her current roles, Dr. Meeyam accumulated nearly 20 years of experience as a faculty member at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. During her career, Dr. Meeyam has played a pivotal role in directing the Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Centre for Asia Pacific, which is esteemed as a World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) Collaborating Centre in Veterinary Service Capacity Building. Her passion for One Health initiatives was sparked during her tenure as a project coordinator at the EcoHealth-One Health Resource Centre of Chiang Mai University. Her professional expertise lies in Veterinary Public Health, particularly focusing on food safety related to animal-origin foods. Dr. Meeyam holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Chulalongkorn University (2001), and she pursued further education, earning a Master of Science in Health Science from Chiang Mai University (2003). In 2010, she successfully completed her doctoral program at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.