Health Matters: The Importance of the Interface between Wildlife, Domestic Animal, and Human Health for Conservation Success in Africa

On March 8 2004, the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group, the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force, and the Wildlife Conservation Society held a meeting entitled,  "HEALTH MATTERS: The Importance of the Interface between Wildlife, Domestic Animal, and Human Health for Conservation Success in Africa".

The objectives of the meeting were to:

• Explore the connections between the wildlife health / domestic animal health / human health interface and conservation success;
• Learn about current field activities in Africa to address this connection, as well as to explore emergent disease issues;
• Find out about current research activities and priorities;
• Hear about responses by U.S. government agencies and NGOs to address these issues;
• Discuss how to engage key policy makers to take action to proactively address surveillance and other health issues as they relate to conservation, preventing human epidemics, agrobiosecurity, etc; and
• Plan a special event for policy makers: "Bushmeat, Health, and Beyond -  Developing Integrated & Proactive Approaches to Preventing Disease Crises in an Ever-Smaller World" (suggested title).

Please see the materials from the meeting below as well as useful website links.

photo credit: WCS' AHEAD (Animal Health for the Environment And Development) Initiative applies a "One Health" perspective