The Concept And Methods Of Community Participation In Animal And Human Disease Surveillance

Abstract

Background: Animal health surveillance is essential to protecting public health, controlling animal diseases and accessing international animal trade with a view to ensuring food security. The practice of subsistent agriculture makes laboratory disease surveillance and statistics difficult or impracticable to implement. Many times, the information generated through conventional approach may not reflect true field situations. Therefore, animal health project interventions from conventional data may be difficult to implement. Community engagement, however, empowers and ensures lasting solutions to developmental challenges.Methods : Field experiences and a review of the origin, concepts, methods and tools of Participatory epidemiology (PE) in disease surveillance suggest their appropriate uses.Results : Community participation in animal and public health investigation, program design, implementation and monitoring is credited with ownership, acceptability and sustainability.Conclusion : This research highlights how and why participation is an essential component of a successful disease surveillance design and implementation. However, the success of any participatory program depends on understanding the bases and applications of the right tools.

Control and Prevention of Epizootic Lymphangitis in Mules: An Integrated Community-Based Intervention, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

“…In this project, the community-based approach and participatory methods were essential to success by empowering stakeholders, increasing engagement, ensuring local ownership, and building bridges and common understanding between different stakeholder groups. The results of the project are similar to the successes of other community-based animal healthcare initiatives ( 35 , 36 , 61 ).…”