Over the last decade, six (Anthrax, RVF, Brucellosis, Rabies, Plague, Trypanosomiasis) of the seven-country priority zoonotic diseases have been reported in the West Nile region. While these diseases have previously occurred, their recent re-occurrence has been within shorter intervals, with some remaining endemic. The population influx of refugees from neighboring South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has also elevated the risk of transmission of epidemic-prone diseases and outbreaks within the region.

Emergency response to outbreaks of zoonotic nature within the region was largely sector-specific with limited inter-sectoral collaborations between the human and animal health sectors.

In 2018, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) to pilot interventions for preparedness and response to these public health threats within the region through a One Health approach. These efforts functionalized One Health district coordination structures, strengthened surveillance, and provided a platform for the pilot of integration of animal health samples into the National Sample Transportation and Referral System.

Using a regionalized response coordination mechanism, IDI continues to support these efforts through:

• Establishment and functionalization of the West Nile Public Health Emergency Operation Center
• Strengthening regional capacity to receive and analyze outbreak surveillance data for public health action
• Enhancing laboratory sample transportation systems for outbreak samples in the West Nile region
• Conducting preparedness education for human and animal health care workers on priority zoonotic diseases.

Success Stories