Ahmadu Bello University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine launches students ‘One Health Club’
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, has launched a students’ One Health Club with the aim of promoting the interconnectedness among humans, animals and environmental health.
The launching ceremony took place today, Saturday, 28th June, 2025, at the Faculty’s Auditorium, Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria.
In his opening remarks, The chairman of the occasion, Prof J.K.P Kwaga, commended the students for keying into human health at the moment.
Prof Kwaga, who is also a Principal Investigator at the Africa Centre of Excellence on Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB), disclosed that he delivered an inaugural lecture some years back, where he recommended for the mounting of One Club in the University.
He encouraged the students to sustain the tempo and thanked them for inviting him to chair the occasion.
Introducing the club, Team Lead of the One Health Club, Oladele Azeez, stated that the club was dedicated to promoting interconnectedness of humans, animals and environmental health.
According to the team lead, it was also to promote interdisciplinary knowledge among students and engage host communities in creating awareness of the existence of the club.
He expressed the club’s readiness to work with the government towards implementing environmental friendly policies.
In a paper presentation titled “One Health in the Prevention, Control and Management in Neglected Tropical Diseases”, the Centre Leader, Africa Centre of Excellence on Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB), Prof Y.K.E Ibrahim, defined One Health as an integrated, unifying approach to achieve better health outcomes by sustaining balance and optimizing the health of people, animals and ecosystem through the collaborative efforts of multidisciplines.
Prof Ibrahim noted that One Health recognizes the health of humans, animals and plants.
The Centre Leader identified Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Environment, Public Health Departments, Veterinary Services and Pharmaceutical companies that produce drugs as some of the major stakeholders of One Health.
According to him, strong governance and effective leadership to facilitate implementation, training, capacity building and practical experience for humans and animals health professionals were some of the key drivers of One Health.
Prof Ibrahim thanked the Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the organisers of the event for the opportunity given to him.
In another presentation titled “One Health Action Plan in Nigeria”, the Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Prof Junaidu Kabir, emphasized that many One Health efforts had been implemented in Nigeria across disease surveillance, outbreak response and research.
Prof Kabir said development of policies and guidelines to control many public health challenges, and commiting internal budgetary allocations to fund one health activities were some of the action plans in Nigeria.
He also identified poor legislation and weak guiding policies, poor funding, weak laboratory diagnostic capacity, poor coordination and institutionalization as some of the challenges of One Health Action Plans in Nigeria.
The Dean further said that gathering momentum for further collaborations, institutionalization of One Health and legislation of One Health approach to disease control were also some of the way forward in One Health Action Plans in Nigeria.
In a goodwill message, the Director, University Health Services, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof Mohammed Dauda Maigatari, expressed happiness over enthusiasm of young people to create awareness and stimulate young minds into joining the medical profession.
Prof Maigatari congratulated the students and urged them to sustain the tempo.
In another goodwill message, the Director, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof Sani Adamu, congratulated the students for forming the club and wished them well in all endeavors.
Highlights of the event were questions and answers session and group photographs.
………………………………….
Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (AHW)
Saturday, 28th June, 2025
