The UK government through its Animal Health System Strengthening (AHSS) project, has donated fifteen thousand (15,000) doses of rabies vaccines and laboratory equipment and consumables to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
The donation coincided with the World Veterinary Day commemoration, and was used to fulfil a pledge made last September during the celebration of World Rabies Day, to support Ghana’s vision to eliminate human death from dog mediated rabies by the year 2030.
Speaking at a brief ceremony at the ministry to hand over the vaccines and the laboratory equipment, the Development Director of the British High Commission in Accra, Richard Sandall, commended MoFA for their crucial role in preventing and controlling known and emerging animal diseases and, to a large extent, protecting public health in the country.
He stated that Ghana is one of the UK’s longest standing and strongest partners in Africa and the AHSS project is a shining example of the strong partnership between the UK and Ghana in the area of development and science.
The donation, as he revealed, forms part of UK’s comprehensive package to strengthening strong animal health system.
The intervention, according to him will help integrate animal health systems into Ghana’s overall health security framework.
He was particularly pleased to know that the vaccinations will target rural areas, where households are most exposed to bites from unvaccinated dogs.
He further assured the government of Ghana of continuous support to provide UK assistance to build a resilient animal health system.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, the Chief Director, Mr. Paul Siameh expressed the ministry’s appreciation to the UK government for the kind gesture.
He revealed that the UK Defra AHSS project has come at an opportune time to strengthen Ghana’s animal health system.
He further added that the ministry, through the Veterinary Services (VSD) has started reaping the positive benefits from the project’s interventions.
He assured of a productive utilisation of the resources to enable the country to eliminate human death from dog mediated rabies by the year 2030.
The UK Defra AHSS Ghana National Lead, Dr William Kuma Adu, noted that in Ghana, between 2021 and 2023, seventy-two (72) people unfortunately lost their lives due to rabies.
Veterinarians according to him, plays a critical role in safeguarding animal health, which directly translates to human well-being, and it is in that vein that the project intervene to ensure the Veterinary Services Directorate is well positioned to strengthened Ghana’s animal health system.
Also in attendance were Dr Emmanuel Allegye-Cudjoe, Chief Veterinary Officer of the Veterinary Services Directorate; Enyonam Azumah, the Human Development Team Lead of the British High Commission in Accra, and Mr. Victus Sabutey, the Senior Animal Health Senior Project Officer, Defra AHSS Project at the British High Commission, Accra.
The Animal Health Systems Strengthening (AHSS) project in Ghana, is part of a flagship Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded bilateral technical partnership between the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and countries in Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and The Gambia.
It complements efforts made by national government and other key stakeholders to achieve SD Goals 1, 2 and 3 (Zero Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Wellbeing)and other high level strategic objectives including the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, and Zero by 2030:
The global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
In Ghana, AHSS is focused on seven key strategic pillars, guided by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) framework and informed by the country needs.
These include strengthening animal health laboratorysystems; improving surveillance and early detection of diseases; broadening the application of disease control measures; improving knowledge of bee health and honey;strengtheninginter-sectoralcoordination and collaboration; enhancing emergency preparedness; and strengthening aquatic animal health.
Government trying to hide something from SML/GRA contract – Arthur Kennedy