Viral Zoonoses of National Importance in Ghana: Advancements and Opportunities for Enhancing Capacities for Early Detection and Response.

Richard D Suu-Ire,Terra R Kelly,Samuel O Bel-Nono,Evangeline Obodai,William Ampofo,J H Kofi Bonney,Aditya Prasad Dash

doi:10.1155/2021/8938530

Abstract

Zoonotic diseases have devastating impacts on human and animal health, livelihoods, and economies. Addressing the complex web of interrelated factors leading to zoonotic disease emergence and spread requires a transdisciplinary, cross-sectoral approach, One Health. The One Health approach, which considers the linkages between the health of people, animals, and their shared environment, presents opportunities to reduce these impacts through a more holistic coordinated strategy to understanding and mitigating disease risks. Understanding the linkages between animal, human, and environmental health risks and outcomes is critical for developing early detection systems and risk reduction strategies to address known and novel zoonotic disease threats. Nearly 70 countries across the world, including Ghana, have signed on to the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), which is facilitating multisectoral approaches to strengthen country capacities in the prevention and early detection of and respond to infectious disease threats. Currently, Ghana has not yet formalized a national One Health policy. The lack of a clearly defined multisectoral platform and limited collaboration among key Ghanaian Ministries, Departments, and Agencies has impacted the country's ability to effectively mitigate and respond to emerging and reemerging zoonoses. Many of these emerging zoonoses are caused by viruses, which, because of their diversity and evolutionary properties, are perceived to pose the greatest threat to global health security. Here, we review viral zoonoses of national importance and priority in Ghana, highlight recent advancements in One Health capacities, and discuss opportunities for implementing One Health approaches to mitigate zoonotic disease threats.

Highlights

Until recently, coordination among the human, animal, and environmental health sectors to address common disease threats has been limited [1]. is is of concern in many countries, where spillover of pathogens, especially viruses, from animals into humans present major challenges for health security [2]
Recent Advancements and Opportunities for Implementing One Health Approaches in Ghana for Early Detection and Control of Zoonotic Disease reats. e significance of emerging zoonoses in terms of human health and economic burdens, exemplified by the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, has brought these threats to the fore. e seriousness of these threats has called for a shift to a transdisciplinary, multisectoral One Health approach for the prevention and early detection of and response to emerging zoonotic pathogens
In 2017, Ghana conducted a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) to identify critical gaps that exist in the health system preparedness and response capacity [76]. e evaluation documented several opportunities that Ghana can leverage to enhance capabilities for rapid detection and response to zoonotic disease threats, including multisectoral prioritization of zoonotic diseases that the human and animal sectors to address jointly, establishing surveillance systems for these priority zoonoses, increasing coordination and information sharing between the animal and human health surveillance units in the government to improve surveillance and outbreak response, strengthening of the national laboratory system to enhance the surveillance for zoonotic diseases, and One Health workforce development [77]

Summary

Introduction

Humans have coexisted with wildlife for thousands of years, recent population growth and the resultant anthropogenic pressures have intensified the interactions between people and animals, and human exposure to sylvatic disease cycles and the risk of pathogen spillover [3,4,5,6]. Anthropogenic factors driving these increased interactions include farming, extractive industries, hunting and trade of wild animals, and access to Journal of Tropical Medicine anthropogenic food sources among protected wildlife living in human-dominated landscapes [7,8,9,10]. Travel and human migration are increasingly contributing to the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases [13,14,15]

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