Bridging the gap: integrating One Health and Responsible Research and Innovation into medical education in Chad

In Chad, where daily interactions among humans, livestock, and ecosystems are central to livelihoods, health challenges require integrated and context-sensitive approaches. The burden of infectious diseases, including malaria and zoonoses, is compounded by environmental changes and fragile health systems. This paper proposes a structured framework for integrating One Health (OH) and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) into medical education. Beyond conceptual integration, it emphasizes the governance, institutional transformation, and contextualization of RRI within local socio-cultural realities. By combining the five RRI keys (public engagement, gender, open access, ethics, science education) with its four strategic dimensions (anticipation, reflexivity, inclusiveness, responsiveness), the proposed framework promotes a shift toward socially embedded, transdisciplinary, and ethically grounded medical training. The expected outcomes include improved clinical reasoning, stronger research relevance, enhanced community trust, and the development of health professionals capable of navigating complex socio-ecological systems. Ultimately, this approach contributes to strengthening health system resilience and advancing equitable, sustainable healthcare delivery in Chad and similar Sahelian contexts.