Surveillance and risk monitoring of zoonotic diseases are complex and cannot be effectively done by one sector alone. Therefore, a multi-sectoral approach is needed. In Côte d'Ivoire, the STOP Spillover team held a large three-day national stakeholder meeting in March 2024 at the Hôtel Suprême in Grand-Bassam to build consensus and harness stakeholder views on the roadmap for strengthening multisectoral surveillance and risk monitoring of zoonotic diseases at the human-animal-environment interface in the country.
Over 56 experts attended, representing fields including human health, animal health, environmental health, and academia. Representatives from communities and the national One Health platform and its partners also attended. Sidi Tiemoko Toure, Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources (MIRAH), officially kicked off the meeting. Afterward, Dr. Kallo Vessaly, Director of Veterinary Services, presented an overview of zoonotic diseases in Africa and Côte d'Ivoire and shared a vision for multisectoral collaboration for the surveillance and monitoring of zoonotic disease risks. Lastly, there was a panel discussion on multi-sectoral collaboration by the Sub-Directors of Vaccinology and the Promotion of Wildlife Breeding.
Meeting participants deliberated on the current state of zoonotic disease surveillance at the human-animal-environment interface, the operationalization model for collaboration and the coordination of surveillance at the human-animal-environment interface, and the establishment of a roadmap for the implementation of a multisectoral collaboration mechanism to strengthen surveillance at targeted interfaces. The deliberations were done through small group discussions with highlights shared in plenary. The One Health Technical Working Group (TWG) on surveillance and notification, which had been launched, participated.
Kouman Koffi, the Prime Minister's advisor who represented the coordinator of the One Health Platform, emphasized that launching a TWG on surveillance and notification would be a crucial step in the country's commitment to public health and health security. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today with a common goal: to protect the health of our fellow citizens and ensure the health security of our nation. Only by working together, sharing our knowledge, resources, and expertise, can we meet the complex challenges we face,” said Koffi.
Sidi Tiemoko Toure, the Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources, emphasized the need for a holistic multisectoral approach. “The fight against these zoonoses must be based on a holistic approach involving good multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary collaboration. As a result, the human health, animal health, and environmental sectors share responsibility for zoonosis control, and must coordinate their actions through the One Health approach,” said Toure.
At the end of the workshop, participants identified 10 key interfaces to be monitored, an operational methodology for collaboration was developed, the importance of the joint risk assessment framework in zoonotic disease prevention was emphasized, and there was consensus to adopt some of the STOP Spillover activities being implemented in country, such as waste water and waste effluent surveillance, integrated joint risk assessments, animal carcass disposal, and harm reduction biosafety measures.
