By Martin Mwenga.
A delegation from the Zoonotic Disease Unit (ZDU) from the ministry of Health, paid a courtesy visit to the CEC incharge of Health and Sanitation Dr Winnie Kitetu in her office today.
Addressing members of the County Health Management Team (CHMT) present, during the visit Dr Daniel Chepkwony,the team leader said the main objective of the visit is to establish strategies which can be applied to reduce the burden of zoonotic diseases in the county, under One Health Approach strategy.
The “One Health” approach is an intersectoral collaboration of three ministries which include ministry of Health and Sanitation, ministry of Enviroment, Tourism and Natural Resources and ministry of Agriculture, Water and Irrigation to mitigate the spread of zoonotic diseases.
The CEC applauded the team, for choosing Kitui county has one of the counties in the country who will establish County One Health Units (COHU).
She further added that, this intervention has come at the right time because there are healthcare officers in Mwingi North who are sensitizing Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) on Kalaazar.
The CEC assured the delegation, that the ministry will support the initiative and will partner together to reduce the spread of zoonotic diseases in the county.
Zoonotic disease is an infectious disease that is transmitted between species from animals to humans or from humans to animals.