New strategy to help fight human and animal diseases

In the animal health circles, one of the terms that is now commonly used is One Health. So what is One Health? One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach — working at the local, regional, national, and global levels — with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognising the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. 

This concept and strategy is important to tackle what are known as zoonosis disease. According to World Health Organisation, zoonosis is an infectious disease that has jumped from a non-human animal to human. 

And experts are warning that Kenya is at high risk from zoonoses – diseases that can cross from animals to humans and vice versa- and other transboundary diseases due to a number of factors. Her geographical location, growing human population, close livestock-wildlife-human interactions, and porous borders.

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Joint disease surveillance

To mitigate the risk from zoonotic diseases, the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives have established joint disease surveillance and response systems.

This is in line with World Health Organisation’s International Health Regulations and the World Animal Health Organisation’s Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes. 

Additionally, Kenya adopted a One Health approach in 2011 by establishing the Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU), a collaborative office shared between the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

This synergistic arrangement will be strengthened and expanded within the current planning period to better integrate the wildlife and environment sectors in preventing and controlling zoonotic diseases, in line with global best practices.

Developed jointly by the GoK, FAO and funded by USAID, the strategic plan will contribute towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), improved livelihoods, food and nutritional security, improved biodiversity conservation and enhanced animal and human welfare. The goal of the plan is to reduce the burden of priority zoonotic diseases in Kenya.

The implementation of this strategy will further reduce livestock deaths, alleviate human suffering, and improve food security in line with the Big Four agenda.

The National Strategy for the prevention and control of Brucellosis in humans and animals in Kenya envisages a Brucellosis-free country by the implementation of One Health approaches.

Anthrax outbreaks are often detected late in livestock and wildlife through fatalities or spillover to humans. As a result, the natural prevalence of anthrax infection in animal populations is largely unknown.

The World Organisation for Animal Health and FAO classify Anthrax as a transboundary disease based on its negative impact on food security, nutrition, livestock production and trade. Anthrax causes hundreds to thousands of animal deaths, and 2,000 to 20,000 human anthrax cases annually worldwide. 

Collective strategy

The Government in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) on February 16 launched three critical strategy documents to achieve this goal.

The One Health Strategic Plan for The Prevention and Control of Zoonotic Diseases in Kenya (2021 - 2025), National Strategy for the prevention and control of Anthrax in humans and animals in Kenya (2021- 2036) and the National Strategy for the prevention and control of Brucellosis in humans and animals in Kenya (2021-2040). These documents chart the roadmap for combating zoonotic diseases.

Speaking on behalf of the Directorate of Veterinary Services during the launch in Nairobi, Dr Charles Ochodo noted that Brucellosis is mainly transmitted from infected animals to humans through contact or consumption of contaminated products like milk.

 Poor handling and disposal of livestock afterbirths, animal carcasses and internal organs at slaughter leads to environmental contamination and hence increased risk of infection in livestock and further spread to the human population.

Dr Ochodo added that the successful control of Brucellosis requires multisectoral coordination efforts in food safety and hygiene, livestock health, public health and consumer education.

Dr Ochodo noted that, whereas it is recognized that eradicating of brucellosis in animals through vaccination or culling of infected animals is not feasible in Kenya, focus to prevent human infection should be on risk communication and community engagement through education campaigns that raise awareness and improve food and occupational hygiene.

Prof Eric Fevre, from International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and University of Liverpool, noted that they have been collaborating with the national government, and counties to come up with data that informs policies that address disease burden problems. 

Disease burden

Prof Folorunso Fasina, who works with Emergency Centre for Transboundary Disease of the FAO said together with donor organisation they have been collaborating with the government in improving animal health institutions in the country

It is worth noting that the burden of zoonotic diseases in Kenya is estimated to cause a loss of Sh618 billion annually.

Most importantly, the successful prevention and control of zoonotic diseases requires a One Health approach, which involves a multisectoral collaboration of all stakeholders.

The good news is that Kenya made a firm step towards implementing the One Health approach since 2011 when the Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU) was established.

The ZDU is a collaborative platform shared between the Ministries responsible for human and animal health. It serves as Kenya’s One Health office and secretariat to the Zoonoses Technical Working Group (ZTWG).

The burden of zoonotic diseases has increased globally over the last few decades, raising concern among governments. These zoonoses are transmitted through interactions between animals, humans and their shared environments.

Some Zoonoses such as Brucellosis, Anthrax and Rift Valley fever lead to increased health care costs, loss of human lives, loss of income from livestock trade and loss of endangered and rare wildlife biodiversity.

Factors that worsen it

Factors contributing to the increasing burden of these diseases include but not limited to human and animal population expansion, wildlife habitat degradation, international travel and trade, changing farming systems, urbanisation, cultural practices, poverty and climate change.

The partners

Partners that worked together in the development of these policy documents include: FAO, United States Agency for International Development (USAid), Center for Disease Control and Prevention-Kenya, ILRI, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya Veterinary Association, Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute, Kenya Wildlife Service, Neglected Tropical Diseases Program.

Stakeholders are optimistic that things shall improve so that all levels of government together with support partners work in synergy to prevent and control zoonoses in Kenya.