Zoonoses Zoonoses are responsible for millions of illnesses and deaths every year

Cameroon celebrated World Zoonoses Day in Yaoundé on 6 July. These diseases are transmissible from animals to humans and vice versa, and can be spread by direct contact, vectors or food. The aim of the day is to raise public awareness of zoonoses, diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans.

Zoonoses are a major threat to public health worldwide. They are responsible for millions of illnesses and deaths every year. Climate change and increasing urbanisation are increasing the risk of zoonoses emerging and spreading. The year 2024 was marked by the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, a zoonosis of animal origin, which highlighted the importance of collaboration between human and animal health to prevent and combat zoonoses. The “One Health” approach is essential to combat zoonoses. It requires collaboration between the human health, animal health and environment sectors. Preventive measures such as vaccinating animals, monitoring animal diseases and promoting hygienic farming practices are crucial. Strengthening human and animal health systems is equally important for rapid detection of and response to zoonoses.

From 16 to 20 October 2023, the members of the Une Seule Santé (USS) platform finalised the implementation document for the Une Santé Strategy developed in 2012. It takes into account the orientations of the Joint Action Plan One Health 2022-2026 of the quadripartite (WHO-FAOOMSA-PNUE). It also aims to ensure the implementation of the USS approach in strengthening human, animal, plant and environmental health systems at all levels, in order to reduce the burden of the threats posed by zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance, guaranteeing food safety by 2027.

As part of the celebrations for World One Health Day, a capacity-building session for regional officials involved in implementing national policies on the “One Health” concept was held in Mbankomo from 30 October to 01 November 2023. Organised by the Zoonoses Programme with GIZ PPOH and AFRICAM, the meeting enabled participants from the 5 regions (West, Adamaoua, South, Centre and Littoral), made up of regional delegates for Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, conservators of protected areas and members of the National Codex Alimentarius and Food Safety Committee, to familiarise themselves with the National One Health Strategy. In addition, they were encouraged to develop a roadmap for the implementation of the One Health approach in the different Regions.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that no country was fully prepared to deal with a pandemic of such scale, speed, severity and impact. To remedy this state of affairs, in November 2020 the World Health Organisation announced the establishment of the Universal Health and Preparedness Review, which is a means of increasing accountability and transparency among Member States in terms of capacity building to improve preparedness for health emergencies. This is a game-changing platform to support collective action at national and global level to make the world a safer place, based on the principles of equal treatment and mutual responsibility.

Angélique EKAMAN (Journalism student on internship)