Reducing Animal-Human Disease Spread

The government of Uganda heads to eradicating the spread of diseases from animals to humans through a forthcoming conference aimed at  identifying , responding , controlling and  communicating ways through some diseased spread from animals to human beings.This will help in controlling the spread of diseases such as  Ebola, Marburg whose outbreaks has remained a puzzle to the  the  health ministry.
The Uganda Medical Association (UMA), the Uganda Veteri-nary Association (UVA) and their international and local partners will hold a One Health conference in Kampala 14-16 February 2013 at Hotel Africana. This is the first joint One Health meeting being organised by the two professional bodies,according to a statement from Uganda media centre.
The President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, will be the Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony of this conference. The conference draws key speakers and delegates from various countries and has been supported by the Government of Uganda, international and local partners including UN organisations.
The theme of the conference is, “DISEASE ERADICATION: What will it take?” Areas of discussion during the conference will include ,
Disease Surveillance and Diagnostics,Response to Disease Threats,,Prevention and control,Communication and Policy  ,Environment and Disease,Social and Economic Dimensions
Today, the population of the World stands at more than 7 billion people. Awareness, knowledge, understanding and respect of the interdependency of the health of humans, animals, and the environment is critical. The One Health concept as a worldwide strat-egy seeks to expand interdisciplinary collaborations, establish effective communication and identify opportunities to work together in the areas of medical education, clinical care, public health and biomedical research among human, animal, and ecosystem health professionals.
The interactions between humans, animals and the environment present enormous health concerns. Presently, about 75% of emerging and re-emerging diseases are either zoonotic (affect both humans and animals) or vector-borne (carried from infected animals to others through biting insects). The roles of human health, animal health, and ecosystem health professionals are significant in addressing healthcare issues worldwide. Vigilant protection of human food and animal feed from food-borne diseases, the safeguarding of the environment from contamination, and guarding against acts of bio-terrorism has become critical for human, animal and environmental survival.

The Joint Conference presents opportunities for researchers, policy makers, legislators, service providers and public health specialists to share experiences and identify strategies for strengthening collaboration for the effective eradication of disease and enhance economic gains and better livelihoods of disease-free communities. Health is strength, health is wealth, and health is wisdom.
The objectives of the conference include ;  Providing a better understanding of the One Health concept and its implications on human and animal disease reduction and eradication.
Demonstrating  the significance of the One Health concept in human and animal disease eradication (prediction, identification, response, control, communication) and showcasing  successful One Health initiatives and interventions carried out in Uganda and other countries, e.g. control of Ebola, Marburg, Rabies, etc.