National bridging workshop on rabies pilot programmes in Bali and Ghana: increasing collaboration to combat rabies
Rabies, a deadly viral disease transmitted primarily through dog bites, claims the lives of an estimated 59 000 people each year, with the majority of cases occurring in Asia and Africa. In response to this public health crisis, global organizations have united to develop a strategic plan to eliminate human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.
| To support countries in implementing effective rabies control programmes, the National Bridging Workshop on Rabies (NBW-R) has recently been introduced. |
The NBW-R, a specialized adaptation of the generic IHR-PVS National Bridging Workshop, focuses on fostering collaboration across different sectors involved in rabies control at the animal-human-environment interface, following the principles of the One Health approach. The inaugural workshop, conducted in Ada, Ghana, on 15-17 August 2022, marked the first pilot of this programme. Subsequently, a second workshop was held in Kuta, Bali, on 12-14 April, 2023, operating at a sub-national level.
The primary objective of the NBW-R is to improve coordination among the different sectors and disciplines by increasing understanding and recognition of their contributions to rabies control and by facilitating an in-depth analysis of collaboration gaps in rabies prevention and control within the host countries. Employing an interactive methodology, the workshop utilizes user-friendly materials, case studies, videos, and tools to facilitate productive discussions.
Participants diagnose current strengths and weaknesses in the collaboration among the different sectors, leading to the identification of practical next steps and activities to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination in rabies-related work. Using already existing strategies and plans, including the results of an updated Stepwise Approach towards Rabies Elimination (SARE) assessment, the participants jointly develop an NBW-R road map to consolidate efforts towards rabies control across sectors.
Both workshops brought together approximately 50 participants from various levels, sectors and regions, along with representatives of national and local authorities and representatives from international stakeholders such as the tripartite organizations (the World Health Organization, the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), the German Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, and Mission Rabies, or the Regional Animal Health Centre.
The success of the workshop is evident from the feedback received from participants. The overwhelmingly positive responses indicate high satisfaction with the workshop, with 90% of participants expressing their unconditional recommendation of the workshop to other countries. This encouraging feedback highlights the value of the NBW-R in heightening awareness of rabies and One Health and identifying cross-sectoral activities necessary to achieve the global goal of "Zero by 30".
