Enhancing prevention and control of Rift Valley fever in East Africa by intersectoral assessment of control options
Many decisions on resource allocation and prioritization in disease control in the animal and human health sectors are influenced by economic arguments and evidence. Challenges in the effective control of zoonotic diseases (diseases transmissible between animals and humans) have forced the two sectors to rethink their approaches in favour of the multisectoral One Health approach.
One Health places health issues in the broader developmental and ecological context, and can be defined as the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines to attain optimal health for people, animals and environment.
The disciplines of public health and veterinary economics are yet to develop a satisfactory way of dealing with the economics of zoonoses to generate the much needed evidence to inform One Health decisions. Required evidence also includes distribution of control benefits and the institutional arrangements.
This study is generating the evidence needed to inform One Health decisions through an intersectoral assessment of the cost-effectiveness and economic benefits of Rift Valley fever control options, by considering both human and animal health economics from a societal perspective. The study is also evaluating feasible operational frameworks based on the One Health approach. This work forms part of doctoral research by the principal investigator.
Specific objectives are to:
- identify and analyze stakeholders for prevention and control of zoonoses;
- identify and analyze suitable operational frameworks and coordination mechanisms for intersectoral planning within the One Health approach and their cost implications;
- identify alternate Rift Valley fever prevention and control strategies including One Health approaches;
- estimate the dual burden of Rift Valley fever epidemics in the human and animal health sectors; and
- assess the cost-effectiveness, cost and benefits of the alternate control options and prioritize them from a multisector perspective.
Principal investigator: Tabitha Kimani
Scientist: Thomas Randolph
Funder: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
