The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Gorilla Doctors have launched a regional training in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park to enhance wildlife disease surveillance across Africa. The week-long training, which started on November 2, 2026, brings together 24 professionals from 10 African countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Ghana. The participants are being equipped with practical skills to identify unusual wildlife health events and safely collect and handle specimens.
The training is part of the Pandemic Fund-supported Strengthening One Health-based Prevention, Preparedness and Response in the Greater Virunga Landscape (SOHPPRGVL) project. This initiative addresses the growing concern over emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, which can have significant consequences for human health, animal health, biodiversity, food systems, and livelihoods. The project is a collaboration between the FAO Regional Office for Africa, FAO Headquarters' Animal Health Service, and Gorilla Doctors.
The training focuses on priority zoonotic diseases, including Ebola Virus Disease, mpox, Marburg Virus Disease, and Rift Valley Fever. Participants are receiving training on identifying and responding to these diseases through a combination of classroom sessions and practical field exercises. The practical component is crucial, as wildlife health events often occur in remote protected areas where park rangers and frontline personnel may be the first to encounter sick or dead animals.
Dr. Willington Bessong Ojong, Livestock and Fisheries Sector Coordinator, representing the FAO Representative in Uganda, emphasized the importance of strengthening wildlife health surveillance. He noted that protecting wildlife health is not only a conservation imperative but also a public health necessity, an agricultural priority, and an investment in economic resilience. Ojong highlighted that early detection of diseases in wildlife can provide an important warning mechanism, enabling authorities and communities to assess risks and coordinate interventions.
Dr. Bernard Sebidde, SOHPPRGVL Project Coordinator at Gorilla Doctors, stressed that disease prevention must be integrated into wildlife conservation, particularly as human populations expand and interactions between people and wildlife increase. He noted that the Greater Virunga Landscape, which spans parts of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is an important conservation ecosystem where people, livestock, and wildlife interact closely. Sebidde emphasized that effective disease surveillance, preparedness, and response are essential to both conservation and public health.
The training also highlights the critical role played by wildlife rangers in detecting disease events within protected areas. Fred Kisame Eria, Chief Warden of the Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, noted that rangers are frequently the first people to encounter sick animals, unusual animal behavior, or unexplained wildlife deaths. He emphasized that equipping rangers with knowledge and practical skills to recognize, report, and safely handle suspected disease events can significantly strengthen early warning systems.
The initiative is anchored in the One Health approach, which recognizes the close interconnection between the health of people, animals, and the environment. The focus on zoonotic diseases is particularly significant, as a substantial proportion of emerging infectious diseases affecting humans are associated with animals. The training aims to strengthen the capacity of professionals operating at the interface between wildlife, livestock, people, and the environment, ultimately enhancing the detection, investigation, and response to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases across Africa.
Key points
- The FAO and Gorilla Doctors are training 24 African wildlife experts to strengthen zoonotic disease surveillance and improve detection, investigation, and response to emerging diseases.
- The training focuses on priority zoonotic diseases, including Ebola Virus Disease, mpox, Marburg Virus Disease, and Rift Valley Fever.
- The initiative is anchored in the One Health approach, recognizing the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health.
