Agenda vision for "a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases" ([@bib7]).

OHCEA was inaugurated on 17 October 2010 "at a historic meeting facilitated by USAID with participants drawn from the seven schools of public health, seven faculties of veterinary medicine," two American partner universities (Tufts University and University of Minnesota) in addition to 'RESPOND project staff.' At the beginning, OHCEA had only two staff, 'a Program Manager and an Administrator,' and its office was 'a room at the Makerere School of Public Health' ([@bib7]). Understandably, "the challenge then was establishing structures at the Secretariat and at the six country offices manned by dedicated Focal Persons and Administrators, with support from a Fixed Obligation Grant from the RESPOND project. One of the immediate achievements was bringingthe School of Public Health at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania since 2005. In 2011 the two schools expanded its membership to schools of veterinary medicine in the region to form what became known as OHCEA. The mission of LIPHEA was leadership in management of disasters and personnel training. The activities of LIPHEA were funded by USAID through the Higher Education until 2009. The main US partner in the LIPHEA team was the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ([@bib7] [@bib13] [@bib9]). Inspired by the evolution of One Health, LIPHEA invited schools of veterinary medicine in the region to join hands in the formation of OHCEA which gradually moved from disaster preparedness and response to OHW strengthening in participating countries. Based on opportunities