#Ournatureorhealth campaign officially launched with preliminary webinar on introduction to zoonosis

#OURNATUREORHEALTH CAMPAIGN OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED WITH PRELIMINARY WEBINAR ON INTRODUCTION TO ZOONOSIS

 

AUGUST 5, 2020

 

NAIROBI, KENYA///News Advisory/// As the world continues to grapple with the new reality that COVID-19 has brought thus far, the fact that the disease has been categorized as a zoonotic disease must not be ignored. The African Wildlife Foundation is the secretariat to an alliance of over 80 African CSOs working in conservation, who identify as the African CSOs Biodiversity Alliance (ACBA). This alliance is aimed at engaging with the development of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in a manner that this reflects the values, rights, priorities and needs of African people.

In a bid to raise awareness on zoonosis, the team has organized a campaign entailing a series of webinars and infographics. The first webinar titled ‘Introduction to Zoonotic Diseases’ will be taking place on Wednesday 5, August 2020 at 1500hrs (EAT) and will be focused on demystifying the ‘new’ terminology by highlighting the various transmission methods and the actions needed to create resilience and promote the sustainable use of nature.

The session will be a moderated virtual event with a Q&A segment, featuring three of the leading organizations who have been at the forefront of providing emergency responses across the continent; Conservation through Public Health (CTPH), The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Namibian Association of Community Based Resources Associations (NASCO).

The webinar speakers include Mr. Kaddu Sebunya, AWF CEO; Mrs. Maxi Louis, Director at NASCO and Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, CTPH CEO.

As ACBA kicks-off this six-week campaign, the organizations acknowledge that engaging the public on the linkage between nature and health systems is vital now more than ever. To effectively communicate this scientific phenomena, multi-lingual infographics will complement the efforts to ensure a better grasp of how zoonotic diseases are transmitted and how everyone can play a role to ensure that we avert another pandemic.

 

TO PARTICIPATE: Click here to register for the first webinar.

 

ABOUT THE AFRICAN CSOs BIODIVERSITY ALLIANCE (ACBA)

Founded in February 2020, ACBA is a coalition of like-minded African organizations that have come together to engage with the post 2020 GBF to achieve the following vision “Africa's biodiversity thrives and underpins equitable, socially economically resilient livelihoods based on the rights of people to sustainably use their natural resources”    

MEDIA CONTACT: For interviews, contact Simangele Msweli, simangelemmsweli@gmail.com  and Olivia Tawarar oliviahchepkemoi@gmail.com