Animal-to-human Disease: NGO Trains 3million Nigerians on prevention

A Non-governmental organization, HACEY Health Initiative has trained over three million Nigerians on how to prevent transmission of animal diseases to humans under the one Health initiative.

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Dr. Zainab Dambazau, a senior veterinarian and one health expert stated this during an interactive session with Voice of Nigeria in Abuja.

She said the sensitization reaching out to the 3 million people was carried out in 25 states across the federation on how to prevent and control the spread of disease through surveillance and early reporting.

“The sensitization carried out through community advocacy and engagement was for people to know how diseases can be passed on from animals to humans. If they know the impact of animals as causes of waterborne diseases in humans, they will control it,” she said.

She explained that the one health concept recognizes that diseases of humans, animals, and the environment are interconnected, stressing that 75 percent of diseases are of animal origin, as such it’s important to create awareness, create balance, and optimize the health of the three and at the end the human population benefit more.

“When we come together with approaches like this, we will control the spread of diseases. It is not in isolation that what happens in the animal stays in the animal population, it crosses to the environment and also crosses to humans,” Dr. Dambazau said.

She said, the organization enhances surveillance and disease control efforts because it integrates data from human, animal, and environmental sources.

“And this approach allows for early detection of disease outbreaks, a better understanding of disease transmission dynamics, and also enables coordinated control measures. Surveillance helps to identify high-risk areas,” she added.

She said the organization uses Citizen Science to engage the community members, as they are the ones used for data collection, checking where the diseases start from, and monitoring, which gives room for early detection and response.

“It empowers the community to play an active role in protecting their health, the animal health, and the environmental health,” she said.

According to her, the one health concept also promotes collaboration between animal, human, and environmental health professionals as it enables them to work together, share information, collaborate efforts, and leverage strengths from each sector.

“For example in cases of Zoonotic disease, which are diseases transferred from animal to humans such as Ebola and, Avian influenza among others, When there is a collaboration between sectors, the disease will be detected, and prevented early, so it stops the spread of diseases on its track,” said Dr. Dambazau.

She said the group also collaborates with Federal Ministries, agencies, and the organized private sector that are related to the initiative, including Access Corporation, and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, as they are all key drivers of the one health initiative.

“We are concerned about underlying causes of diseases, which cause the emergence and spread of disease.

“So one health approach can help mitigate future outbreaks by involving the public health system so that when they come, they check where the disease starts and the community where it ends,” she added.

Hacey Health Initiative State Project Coordinator, Abuja, Ololade Ogunnubi said local languages and interpreters are used to reach out to the communities in the course of their campaign, especially in the rural areas.

“We teach them about waste management so that they won’t be pouring dirt into water that can cause waterborne diseases and about diseases that can be transferred from animal to human.

“We also advocate for sustainable agriculture because when we protect the environment through agriculture, through crop rotation correct use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, it promotes a healthier environment for us all.

“Community members are used as research assistants, so they know what is in their community and how to protect it. There is also engagement at local government levels,” she said.

she said the organization needs financial support as well as volunteers to help carry on with the campaign, especially in the rural areas.

“Above all it should be everyone’s responsibility to prevent diseases, humans should go for proper check-ups and vaccinations, while animals should be taken for the same,” advised Ogunnubi.

HACEY implemented the One Health Intervention in Nigeria and other Seven African countries, with support from Access Corporation and NCDC.