COVID-19 has shown that we need to act fast as changes at the interface of humans, livestock and wildlife are driving increased risk of emerging disease threats across the globe. Credit: Marc-André Boisvert/IPS
IBADAN, Nigeria, May 11 2021 (IPS) - The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that global health challenges cannot be solved only by health sector interventions.
Many of the recent epidemics — Ebola, Zika and even Covid-19 — are emerging infectious diseases transmissible from wildlife species. In addition, other global health challenges greatly impact people, livestock, wildlife and agriculture which results in adverse effects on local, national, and global economies.
To truly tackle prospective pandemics, Africa’s higher education institutions need to promote a more integrated approach to healthcare training that breaks down the silos between doctors, veterinarians, laboratory scientists and other aligned professions to embrace a “one health” approach. In short, every discipline is affected and all must be taken into consideration when applying solutions.