ADVANZ

ADVANZ - Advocacy for the fight against Neglected Zoonotic Diseases

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The aim of ADVANZ (Advocacy for Neglected Zoonotic Diseases) is to persuade decision makers and empower stakeholders at local, regional, and international levels towards a coordinated fight against neglected zoonotic diseases (NZD), first and foremost in Africa, where the burden from NZD are heaviest. If the battle against NZD is going to be won, a major part of the initiative must come through a behaviour change in the population at risk. A major challenge is that NZD to a large extent are ‘silent’ for the humans living in communities in endemic areas. Therefore locally adapted information is required to generate awareness and alter bad practices. At the same time, the change must be approached via an informed support mechanism, veterinarian, public health and agricultural extension workers being aware of the variety of NZD and the different approaches to combat them. ADVANZ will provide evidence-based knowledge of the cost-effectiveness of controlling these diseases in a manner that can be appreciated. We will implement a new model, based on the One Health approach, which targets decision making bodies involved in disease control: relevant Ministries, district health- veterinary and vector control offices and the locally affected communities. A new Pan-African OH NZD network will be created, harnessing strengths from existing disease specific networks and providing a platform for intersectoral collaboration. An advisory board will guide ADVANZ in design and targeting of NZD information materials. Board members will be experts, primarily from Africa drawn from a range of disciplines including of anthropology, health, agriculture, economics, traditional knowledge and environmental sciences. Strategic partners from relevant EU projects, and representatives from WHO and FAO will be additional board members. An international conference, organized jointly with WHO, FAO and OIE (NZ4) will showcase successful NZ approaches and the ADVANZ model.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Diseases transmitted between animals and humans (zoonotic diseases) are most prevalent in developing countries where knowledge, political will and financial support may be lacking. An EU initiative is advocating better monitoring and control of such diseases by increasing awareness and fostering stakeholder cooperation in Africa.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Rural areas that still rely heavily on animals for subsistence are most vulnerable to zoonotic diseases. These communities are less likely to be diagnosed and treated, placing a tremendous burden on society and the economy.

Awareness and education on interventions, preventive measures and disease control are needed to minimise the impact. Stakeholders, from animal husbandry farmers to policymakers, must work together on every level.

To achieve this, the EU-funded 'ADVANZ - Advocacy for the fight against neglected zoonotic diseases' (http://www.advanz.org (ADVANZ)) project set up a network to gather and supply information, resources and guidance on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of eight zoonotic diseases in Africa. The group is made up of experts in anthropology, health, agriculture, economics and environmental sciences.

The project began by leveraging various communities to create a network that will support interaction, collaboration and coordination among scientists and disease control authorities.

ADVANZ partners are designing information tools for each of the eight diseases, tailoring them to the health and agriculture ministries, veterinarians and local communities. They are also developing communication strategies to help convince decision makers and encourage stakeholders at all levels to work towards coordinated solutions.

The main tool being designed is a model based on a concept that ties human health to that of animals and the environment. This model will lead to cost-efficient and workable strategies for prevention and control.

Ongoing work in ADVANZ is intensifying interest in controlling zoonotic diseases in Africa and beyond.