COPE

The Community-Based One Health Participatory and Empowerment Strategy for One Health Interventions

Context

Being prepared for pandemics is one of the most important tasks of public health actors globally. Diseases like Lassa fever, Ebola virus disease and other endemic diseases in West Africa have highlighted the crucial importance of a good understanding of the One Health concept combined with a people-centred approach when addressing these zoonotic health threats. As a global hotspot for zoonotic diseases, Nigeria has been working on strengthening its preparedness for emerging and re-emerging pathogens with pandemic potential for years. The project supports these efforts, which require close intersectoral cooperation and an in-depth understanding of the conditions underlying emerging and re-emerging diseases. With this in mind, the project conducts research together with affected communities in Nigeria and empowers communities to develop and implement strategies that enhance prevention of and resilience to zoonotic diseases.

Objectives

Strengthening key public health capacities at the intersection of human and animal health and the environment for the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases in Nigeria.

In Cooperation with

  • Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Germany
  • National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Nigeria

Thematic priorities

  • Infection prevention and control
  • Laboratory diagnostics
  • One Health
  • Outbreak management
  • Surveillance and reporting

Facts

Duration

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2025

Budget

ca. 1,100,000 Euro

Partner Countries

  • Nigeria

Implementing Institution

Robert Koch Institute

Contact

Dr Iris Hunger
Robert Koch-Institut (RKI)
Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Deutschland

hungeri@rki.de

Dr. Chinwe Ochu
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC)
Plot 801, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria

chinwe.ochu@ncdc.gov.ng

Download Fact Sheet

Activities

  • Training and competence development

    Developing and carrying out training on participatory and empowerment methods, enabling implementation of the COPE approach on the ground.

  • Research and provision of evidence

    Conducting baseline and post-intervention One Health Risk Assessments to assess the effects of community-based participatory development and implementation of health interventions against zoonotic disease; conducting anthropological research on the interconnectedness of pathogens, animals, environment, housing and trading practices.

  • Networking and cooperation

    Developing networks of local and national health actors in Nigeria; strengthening links between anthropologists, physicians, veterinarians and public health practitioners to facilitate joint preparation for and response to zoonotic disease outbreaks.

  • Capacity development

    Identifying mitigation and adaptation strategies for zoonotic pathogens; developing, implementing and evaluating locally derived intervention strategies against zoonotic diseases and other infectious or environmental challenges that burden community resilience and health.