By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Participants of the just concluded capacity building training on One Health Approach for public, livestock and environmental health officials have expressed their zeal and readiness to step down the training in their respective places of work across the 20 LGAs of Bauchi State.
Organised by the World Bank Assisted Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, the training attracted over 70 participants drawn across the different LG departments that included Animal, Human and Environmental health workers.
Sharing their assessment of the training with our correspondent at the end of the Two Days activity, the participants applauded L-PRES Project for the innovative approach in creating synergy between the three components of health that is focused on human, animal and environmental health.
A veterinarian, Dr. Auwal Abdullahi Adam from Kirfi LG veterinary department said that the training has exposed him to what the One Health Approach seeks to achieve.
Dr. Abdullahi said that the step-by- step presentations during the training has brought out the huge advantages associated in collaboration with human and environmental health officials.
The veterinarian said that as an expert in animal health, he is aware of diseases that can manifest in both human and animals and such diseases might be triggered through environmental factors.
“So, you can see the interrelation between these three components of health. With synergy between us through the one health approach, such diseases outbreaks could prevented. The One Health Approach is not only timely, but also an innovative strategy for improved healthcare outcomes in both human, animals and a sustainable and healthy environment too”, said Dr. Abdullahi.
Sharing her thoughts on the impact of the training and how it is going to add value to her work, Mrs. Ayura Haruna, a disease surveillance and notification officer (DSNO) from Bogoro LG, said that one of her major takeaways from the training was on the presentation made regarding data exchange between the three focused areas of animal, human and environmental health.
This, according to Mrs. Haruna, will greatly enhance her capacity as DSNO to have knowledge on diseases in animals and the environment which will assist in identifying any red flags that could affect human health.
“I want to seize this opportunity to appreciate L-PRES Project for this eye opener training that is quite noble and innovative”, said Mrs. Haruna.
For Ibrahim Mohammed Hassan, an environmental health officer from Darazo LGA, the importance of the L-PRES training should not be restricted to senior level officials, but that such trainings be caacaded down to the low level personnel that are on the field most times.
” I want to sincerely appreciate L-PRES Project for this training. I want to say here that if our environment is not healthy, the lives of human beings and animals are at risk. The training offered me an opportunity to learn the importance of synergy and collaboration. I have no doubt on my that when we implement what we have learnt here, the objective of the One Health Approach training will be achieved”, said Hassan.
On the level of participant’s understanding of the training contents, one of the resource persons, Dr. Ibrahim Ayuba said that he was impressed with contributions from the participants during the exercise, stressing that the zeal and commitment demonstrated by them was a clear indication of their understanding of the objective of the training.
Dr. Ayuva, an animal disease epidemiologist, further called on the participants to implement what they have learnt at the training in their places of work across the State.
“I want to commend the L-PRES team from the State and National for organising the training.
“I am calling on Bauchi State Government to embrace and own the L-PRES One Health Approach for better health outcomes. It is the global best practice now and cost effective too”, Dr.Ayuba said.
Our correspondent reports that the over 70 participants at the training were drawn from the 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State.