© Jakob Zinsstag
The new research project “Cross-border integrated One Health Surveillance-response System between Kenya and Ethiopia” is based on the “one health” approach, i.e. the principle that the health of humans, animals, and the environment is closely interlinked. The specific focus is on the cross-border control of zoonoses in Africa. Prof. Dr. Jakob Zinsstag from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute is the scientific director and coordinator of this project, which is being funded with the sum of 100,000 euros.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic at the latest, the world’s population has experienced the devastating effects of diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. Not only individual health and well-being, but also society and the economy are affected on a worldwide basis. Effective prevention of the spread of zoonoses is therefore urgently needed – especially in view of the fact that the financial resources required for prevention are lower than the total costs incurred by outbreaks of disease and pandemics.
This project funded by the Foundation sets out to support the development of cross-border monitoring and response systems. This will put African countries in a position to jointly combat zoonoses in the future. Specifically, risk communication between Kenya and Ethiopia is to be established in order to reduce time to detection and to expedite cross-border disease control.
Cross-border zoonotic diseases, such as rabies or Rift Valley fever, call for cross-border risk communication between the public health and animal health sectors as part of a “one health” approach. In most African countries, however, the monitoring systems merely comprise national reporting measures and do not extend across borders. Malteser International (MI) operates a one health project in Kenya and Ethiopia that is co-financed by the German government (BMZ). The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) operates the Jigjiga University One Health Initiative in partnership with the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) and Jigjiga University (JJU).
A so-called “integrated environment-animal-human surveillance-response system” (iSRS) established in the Adadle region of Ethiopia in 2017 is showing initial positive effects on human and animal health. This project will promote dialog between public and animal health partners from Kenya and Ethiopia in order to explore the potential of cross-border iSRS and risk communication as part of the MI One Health project.
All participants are fitted with a wrist monitor that collects physiological data, such as heart rate and skin conductance. Each morning, on awakening, their perceived quality of sleep is documented. In the course of targeted interviews, the scientists ask them about existing sleep problems and symptoms of their post-traumatic stress disorder. The study also records how often the patients use the robot and how satisfied they are with it.
A successful small-scale cross-border iSRS will provide a comprehensive strategy for coordinated disease control between African countries, which is necessary for the effective control and elimination of cross-border zoonotic diseases, such as rabies or Rift Valley fever, in the Horn of Africa. In view of the devastating impact of zoonotic diseases on poor communities, reducing the burden of disease will improve people’s health and socio-economic status.