Building on local knowledge and community action within mid-term workshop of One Health project

Discussion on project achievements and challenges to date. Source: NCDC

Effective infectious disease prevention starts at the community level. The COPE project operates on the principle that communities themselves are best equipped to identify and address their own health-related concerns. The project applies a One Health approach by supporting community-driven solutions aimed at reducing the burden of Lassa Fever in South East Nigeria. The project COPE is part of the Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP) with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) in accordance with a resolution passed by the German Bundestag.

From August 19 to 23, 2024, representatives from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC, project lead), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), the University of Ibadan (UI), and RKI’s Centre for International Health Protection (ZIG) gathered in Berlin for the COPE project mid-term review workshop. This workshop provided a platform to assess the project’s progress and to plan next steps.

COPE team representatives on their first day of the workshop week at RKI. Photo: NCDC

Since December 2023, COPE has initiated several key field activities: anthropological fieldwork; the first of two risk assessments covering human, animal, and environmental factors in everyday community life; community-led participatory needs assessment and intervention synthesis, and the initial stages of community-led intervention implementation. The progress of this intervention was highlighted during a ZIG Talk titled “Communities taking action on their own health needs,” presented by the project’s principal investigator, risk communication officer, and project anthropologist as part of the workshop week. The talk included, amongst other things, the presentation of first outputs of the community engagement: two food storage baskets that were created by the community in collaboration with local artisans.

Food storage baskets completed by local artisans. Photo: NCDC

In addition to formal sessions on milestone reviews, data analysis as well as roadmap and outreach planning, the workshop featured team-building activities such as sightseeing in Berlin. Nigerian colleagues also toured the RKI laboratory and exchanged ideas with RKI staff, strengthening collaboration. The finance teams from NCDC and RKI met to discuss best practices and reinforce administrative coordination.

Meeting of the NCDC and RKI finance teams. Photo: NCDC

Looking ahead, further anthropological fieldwork and a second One Health Risk Assessment are planned for early 2025, as the project continues to emphasize how local resources and knowledge play a central role in shaping effective and sustainable health interventions.

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