The Minister of Food and Agriculture in Ghana, Dr Bryan Acheampong has emphasised the significance of strengthening the partnership between Ghana and the UK in countering infectious diseases through the development of the livestock sector.

He made this statement during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK Government to launch the Defra-funded Animal Health System Strengthening (AHSS) Project.

The project aims to tackle the spill-over of pathogens from animals to humans, which is the main cause of emerging infectious diseases, and enhance global health security by preventing preventable deaths.

The UK Government's support for the project will contribute to integrating animal health systems into Ghana's health security framework and better preparing the country and the sub-region to detect and respond to emerging diseases in the livestock sector.

The project has already built the core competencies of 467 veterinary staff in Ghana to better detect, protect, and respond to known and emerging animal diseases, including salmonella, rabies, and diseases of fish.

The project is a £5m multi-year (2022-2025) technical partnership ODA project currently operating in Ghana, Zambia, and The Gambia. It aims to protect against public health threats by tackling disease threats at source, while also helping to increase livestock productivity and improve livelihoods, especially for the rural poor and women. The project also seeks to leverage further investment by Ghana in animal health systems.