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(OIE)'S Engagement Towards Rabie

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(OIE)'S Engagement Towards Rabie J Vet Med One Health 1(1): 3-14 Wakhusama et al 2019 Journal of Veterinary Medicine doi: 10.36856/jvmoh.v1i1.11 and One Health www.jvmoh.org Review Article The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)’s engagement towards Rabies Elimination in Africa Wakhusama S Wanyangu1*, Bastiaensen Patrick1, Bouguedour Rachid2, Letshwenyo Moetapele3, Tounkara Karim4, Mérot Jocelyn2, Ripani Alessandro2, Gregorio Torres5, Renaudin Stéphane6, Bertrand-Ferrandis Catherine7, Erlacher-Vindel Elisabeth5 1OIE Sub-Regional Representation for Eastern Africa, Taj Towers, Upper Hill Nairobi, Kenya 2OIE Sub-Regional Representation for North Africa, 17 Avenue d'Afrique - El Menzah V - 2091- Tunis, Tunisia 3OIE Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa, Gaborone, Botswana 4OIE Regional Representation for Africa, BP 2954 Bamako, Mali 5 OIE Science and New Technologies Department, Paris, France 6OIE World Animal Health and Welfare Fund, Paris, France 7OIE Communication Unit, Paris, France *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract This review article highlights the role of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) towards dog-mediated rabies elimination in Africa. It provides a brief description of rabies and its global impact on humans and the role of the OIE in the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. In addition, it addresses the OIE international standards on rabies, the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway as a tool to assess the quality of Veterinary Services, the partnership with other international organizations under the “One Health” umbrella as applied in the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies, the rabies vaccine bank, the training of OIE national Focal Points, and laboratory twinning projects as a means to enhance capacity in the fight against dog-mediated human rabies in Africa. The article concludes by presenting specific pilot projects being undertaken by the OIE in Africa - as proof of concept - in view of scaling up activities in the African continent. Keywords: Rabies, Vaccine Bank, Africa, OIE Citation: Wakhusama S.W, Bastiaensen P, Bouguedour R, Letshwenyo M, et al, (2019), The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)’s engagement towards Rabies Elimination in Africa. J Vet Med One Health 1(1): 3-14 https://dx.doi.org/ 10.36856/jvmoh.v1i1.11 https://dx.doi.org/ 10.36856/jvmoh.v1i1.11 3 © Creative-Commons License J Vet Med One Health 1(1): 3-14 Wakhusama et al 2019 Introduction welfare and veterinary public health Rabies is one of the most deadly worldwide. With its 182 Member Countries, zoonoses. It is listed among the World as of 2019, and a global network of Organisation for Animal Health’s (OIE) Reference Laboratories, Collaborating diseases under the category “multiple Centres and international experts, the OIE is species diseases, infections and deeply committed to the global fight against infestations” (1). It is estimated that rabies. Through the adoption of science- approximately 60,000 people worldwide die based international standards, guidelines each year because of rabies, mostly children and recommendations, the OIE promotes in developing countries of Asia and Africa the development of safe and effective tests (2,3). for the diagnosis, production of high quality Globally, the vast majority of human veterinary vaccines, control, elimination and cases, more than 95%, are caused by where possible, eradication of rabies. The exposure to rabid dog bites. Other OIE further supports its Member Countries mammals, particularly members of the in policy advice, strategy design and Orders Carnivora and Chiroptera, also technical assistance through training present a risk for human and animal courses. infections. Over 99% of human deaths The courses are directed at OIE caused by rabies occur in Africa and Asia national Focal Points for Animal Disease where dog rabies is poorly controlled. The Notification, Wildlife and Communication to disease mainly affects poor rural increase their knowledge of rabies, their communities where access to appropriate reporting on the rabies situation in domestic post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is limited animals and wildlife, and the appropriate or non-existent (3–6). communication of risks for rabies infection in In contrast with many other diseases, their respective countries. Using the OIE the tools needed to eliminate rabies already laboratory twinning programme, the OIE exist. Elimination of dog-mediated human supports the improvement of the capability rabies is perfectly feasible by vaccinating and access of Member Countries to rabies dogs with good quality vaccines, in diagnosis, scientific expertise and support to combination with other tools such as public proficiency testing. To further enhance education, promoting responsible dog control and elimination of rabies, the OIE ownership, and by ensuring appropriate has set up a Rabies Vaccine Bank for dog human post-exposure prophylaxis (4,7). vaccination. Vaccinating 70% of the dog population in Control is defined by Dowdle (1998) high risk areas is recommended as a way of as a reduction in the incidence, prevalence, breaking the transmission cycle and morbidity or mortality of an infectious eliminating dog-mediated rabies (4,7). disease to a locally acceptable level; elimination as reduction to zero of the Materials and methods incidence of disease or infection in a defined geographical area; and eradication as OIE’s approach to rabies control and permanent reduction to zero of the elimination worldwide incidence of infection (8). The OIE is an intergovernmental In the specific case of rabies, the aim organization created in 1924 with the of elimination is to reduce the incidence of objective of improving animal health, animal 4 J Vet Med One Health 1(1): 3-14 Wakhusama et al 2019 human rabies cases to zero, in whatever quality of the national control programme to geographical area, without necessary being progressively control the disease and able to fully eradicate the disease in the eventually be able to make a self-declaration domestic animal host or in wildlife as free from dog-mediated rabies. Having reservoirs. the OIE endorsement of the official control programme would also support the national Standards public health authorities obtain the WHO official validation of zero human deaths from As indicated above, the OIE adopts rabies. This international recognition would science-based international standards, be a major incentive for countries to guidelines and recommendations. It is continue their elimination efforts and for noteworthy that all the 54 African Member decision makers to invest in rabies Countries participate actively in the elimination. The adoption of the first list of transparent standards setting process which Member Countries having an OIE endorsed culminates in their annual adoption during control programme is expected during the the OIE World Assembly of Delegates. The Word Assembly of OIE Delegates in May current standards on rabies in the 28th 2021. edition of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Results Code (9) and in the 8th edition of the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Terrestrial Animals (10) are indicated in Through the OIE PVS pathway (11) , Table 1. the OIE has been able to support many African governments to identify their As requested by the OIE Specialist overarching needs in terms of enhancing the Commissions and the Member Countries, delivery of veterinary services, upon which the OIE worked with international experts to hinges rabies control. Important update the rabies-related OIE international standards using the latest scientific considerations in this regard are “critical evidence in support of the 2030 dog- competencies” (CC) of Veterinary Services mediated human rabies elimination goal. pertaining to the professional and technical The main purpose of this revision was to staffing and competencies of the Veterinary have provisions to better support Member Services viz (CC.I.1.), operational resources Countries in implementing the prevention and funding (CC.I.12–15), veterinary and control strategies of rabies in dogs, laboratory diagnosis (CC.II.1.), aiming at the elimination of dog-mediated epidemiological surveillance and early human rabies at the source of infection, detection (CC.II.5.), emergency response while preserving safe commercial and non- (CC.II.6.), disease prevention, control and commercial movement of animals. The eradication (CC.II.7.), animal welfare Terrestrial Code chapter adopted in 2019 (CC.II.13.), communication (CC.III.1.), the includes definition of a dog-mediated case, participation of producers and other recognition of zoning and rabies-specific interested parties in joint programmes surveillance recommendations. It also (CC.III.6.) and veterinary legislation includes a specific article on OIE endorsed official control programme for dog-mediated (CC.IV.1-2.), the latter both in terms of rabies aiming at recognising the technical adoption and law enforcement. To date this 5 J Vet Med One Health 1(1): 3-14 Wakhusama et al 2019 information is available for 52 African most cost-effective way to prevent rabies in countries, in many cases through several humans (15). subsequent PVS Pathway mission reports and formats, as conducted since 2006 (12). The Global Framework has five pillars for One Health (OH) Approach rabies elimination (STOP-R) that include aspects of socio-cultural, technical, Working with the World Health organisational, political, and resource
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