Health
By Christian Ogbonna
Abakaliki, Dec. 11, 2025 (NAN) The Ebonyi government on Thursday inaugurated the state’s One Health Initiative as part of strategies to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and strengthen integration across the health system.
AMR primarily stands for Antimicrobial Resistance, a major global health crisis where microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) evolve to resist medicines (antibiotics, antivirals) making infections untreatable and dangerous.
Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, at the official inauguration in Abakaliki, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enhancing healthcare and promoting economic development
The event was organised by Evidence-Informed Policy Approaches for One Health (OH-Health) in collaboration with the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute (FLI) and the African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems Nigeria.
It was also supported by David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS).
Nwifuru described the One Health Initiative as a vital, multisectoral approach recognising the interconnectedness of human, animal, plant, and environmental health.
He cited rapid urbanisation, high population density, deforestation, and increased human–animal interactions in Ebonyi as major factors driving the rise of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases.
“To address these challenges, there is a need to strengthen collaboration among the state’s ministries of health, agriculture, and environment, along with their agencies.
“There should be closer partnerships between government bodies and researchers in universities and tertiary institutions to ensure that research evidence informs policymaking,“ Nwifuru said.
Vice Chancellor of DUFUHS, Prof. Jesse Uneke, described the event as “a remarkable day for Ebonyi State.”
He highlighted that the initiative would examine how diseases transmitted across humans, animals, and the environment, aiming to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration.
“We hope that our discussions today will lead to actionable working documents that integrate the roles of the key ministries,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of joint planning to detect, control, and prevent future outbreaks, whether pandemic or endemic.
Dr Laxmikant Chavan, WHO Technical Officer on AMR and Coordinator of One Health in Nigeria, delivered a keynote address titled “Advancing One Health at Sub-National Level to Address AMR and Other Threats in Nigeria – Ebonyi State.”
Chavan stressed that the programme was critical to safeguarding human health.
He noted that major One Health threats include zoonotic diseases such as avian influenza, Lassa fever, and MERS, which account for about 60 per cent of emerging infectious diseases.
Chavan also highlighted that more than 75 per cent of 30 new human pathogens identified in the last three decades originated from animals, including Ebola and COVID-19.
He warned that without urgent action, AMR could result in 39 million deaths by 2050 and cost up to 412 billion dollars annually, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and low-resource settings. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
OOC/AMM
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Edited by Abiemwense Moru