Prioritization of zoonotic diseases of public health significance in Nigeria using the one-health approach
Chikwe Ihekweazu, Charles Akataobi Michael, Patrick Nguku, Ndadilnasiya Endie Waziri, Abdulrazaq G. Habib, Mathew Muturi, Olufemi Abayomi, Asabe A. Dzikwi-Emennaa, Muhammad Shakir Balogun, Tyakaray Ibrahim Visa, Mahmood Dalhat, Nnomzie Atama, Chukwuma David Umeokonkwo, Gideon Mbrusa Mshelbwala, Columba Vakuru, Junaidu Kabir, Emmanuel C. Okolocha, J. U. Umoh, Babasola Oluseyi Olugasa, Olutayo Olajide Babalobi, Lami H. Lombin, Simeon Cadmus, Charles Akataobi Michael, Kaitlin Sandhaus, Philip Ricks, Albert Ogunkoya, Sola Aruna, Aisha Abubakar, Yusuf Oyindamola Bidemi, Kariuki Njenga, Garba Ibrahim, Olukemi Adekanmbi, Ifeoma Nwadiuto, Idris Suleman Hadejia, Gatai Nganda, J. U. Umoh, Kwaga Jacob, Olajide A. Owolodun, Okafor Christoper, Terver Zua Tule, Habib Abdulrazak, Dooshima Kwange, Kabiru Sabitu, Babasola Oluseyi Olugasa, Gidado M. Muhammed, Tony Joannis, Sunday Omilabu, Junaid Kabir, G. A. T. Ogundipe, Olubunmi Ojo, Obasanya Joshua, Aisha Abubakar Sadiq, Adebola Olayinka, Abdullahi Alhaji Magaji, Aisha Nasir, Dan Duvall, S. Tekki, Sati Samuel Ngulukun, Dotun Soruuke, Abiodun Egumenu, Ibro Idiona, Oyiri Ferdinand, Olufemi Abayomi, Ilori Elsie, Visa I. Tyakaray, Angela Oyo-Ita, Godson R. E. E. Ana, Olaniran Alabi, Mabel Kamweli Aworh, John Kvagai, Gana Chinyere, Okara Gloria
Abstract
Nigeria, with a population of over 190 million people, is rated among the 10 countries with the highest burden of infectious and zoonotic diseases globally. In Nigeria, there exist a sub-optimal surveillance system to monitor and track priority zoonoses. We therefore conducted a prioritization of zoonotic diseases for the first time in Nigeria to guide prevention and control efforts. Towards this, a two-day in-country consultative meeting involving experts from the human, animal, and environmental health backgrounds prioritized zoonotic diseases using a modified semi-quantitative One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization tool in July 2017. Overall, 36 of 52 previously selected zoonoses were identified for prioritization. Five selection criteria were used to arrive at the relative importance of prioritized diseases based on their weighted score. Overall, this zoonotic disease prioritization process marks the first major step of bringing together experts from the human-animal-environment health spectrum in Nigeria. Importantly, the country ranked rabies, avian influenza, Ebola Virus Disease, swine influenza and anthrax as the first five priority zoonoses in Nigeria. Finally, this One Health approach to prioritizing important zoonoses is a step that will help to guide future tracking and monitoring of diseases of grave public health importance in Nigeria.