Episode 42: Building Resilient Systems for Rabies Control and One Health Action in Nigeria

In this episode of One Health Wednesdays, Dr. Ginger Dixon sits down with Adam Schaefer, a One Health epidemiologist whose career has taken him everywhere from hospital infectious disease work to marine mammal health assessments, shark sampling, necropsy labs, conservation, and multidisciplinary public health research. Adam brings a rare blend of epidemiology, project management, and research leadership to the conversation, offering a practical look at what it means to do One Health in ways that are collaborative, strategic, and deeply grounded in real communities.Together, they explore how sentinel species can help us detect risks before they fully surface in human populations, why environmental data deserves more attention in One Health work, and what it takes to translate complex science into action. Adam shares powerful examples from his work tracing environmental exposures across wildlife, waterways, food systems, and human health, showing how the most meaningful solutions often emerge when the right disciplines and communities are at the same table.This conversation is a thoughtful reminder that One Health works best when we build trust, connect silos, and stay curious enough to see patterns others might miss. If your work centers on public health and epidemiology, environmental health, conservation, data with community in mind, or the future of cross-sector collaboration, this is an episode you will want to hear.

What if one of the most powerful tools for tackling antimicrobial resistance, food insecurity, and even climate pressure starts with animal vaccination?In this episode of One Health Wednesdays, Dr. Julia Zammit sits down with Dr. Flavie Vial to explore how animal health shapes the future of human health, ecosystem resilience, and global development.From rabies prevention and dog vaccination campaigns to livestock health, antibiotic use, emissions, and the urgent need to invest upstream in prevention, this conversation brings One Health into sharp focus.Dr. Vial shares why vaccines matter far beyond disease control, how better animal health systems can reduce antimicrobial use, and why the real challenge is no longer knowing what works. It is having the courage and coordination to fund, build, and sustain the systems that do.In this episode, we explore:• why vaccinating animals can help reduce antimicrobial resistance• what rabies teaches us about prevention, coordination, and political will• how animal health connects to food security and climate outcomes• where global investment is most needed to strengthen One Health in practiceThis is a grounded and timely conversation for anyone working across public health, veterinary medicine, wildlife, food systems, or environmental change.

In this week’s One Health Wednesdays, host Dr. Ginger Dixon sits down with Sonmani Choudhary of Heifer International to talk about what One Health looks like when it moves from a policy idea into everyday practice.Sonmani shares how her team in Bihar, India is supporting more than 𝟳𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗿𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 through goats, sustainable agriculture, and a community-led model that connects animal health, household resilience, and ecosystem care. You’ll hear about their Farmer Field School Plus approach, why women’s leadership is central to lasting change, and what gets missed when systems operate in silos, from vaccine access to data that never reaches the people who need it most.In this episode, we explore:* How healthy herds can strengthen livelihoods and local food systems* Why markets and economics belong in One Health conversations* What community-owned data could unlock for faster, smarter decisions* A bold vision for “One Health microsystems” that reduce poverty and build climate resilience.If Sonmani’s work sparks something for you, contact her here at [email protected] and follow Heifer International’s Passing Gifts team as they scale sustainable livelihood development in Bihar, expand Farmer Field School Plus, launch more goat-focused field schools that double as incubation hubs, and grow women-led farmer-producer organizations that build real market power at the ground level.

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Agronomist Thomas Lecomte joins Dr. Julia Zammit to explore how regenerative farming connects soil health, food systems, and human well-being. From managing vast cattle ranches in Africa to consulting on agroecological projects across Latin America, Thomas shares practical insights into restoring land and the deeper impact that has on our health.

This week on One Health Wednesdays, Dr. Chanchal Bhattacharya joins us from India to talk about what it really looks like to operationalize One Health across scale, season, and sector. With decades of experience in veterinary public health and cross-sector collaboration, he shares field-tested insights: from strengthening antimicrobial stewardship in backyard poultry to designing solar-powered cold chains for rural vaccine storage.We explore what makes One Health work in communities with dense human-livestock cohabitation, where public health depends as much on data as it does on trust, infrastructure, and adaptation.This is an episode about making One Health not just a framework, but a function.

This episode of One Health Wednesdays, hosted by Dr. Ginger Dixon with guest host Dr. Julia Zammit, features a dynamic group discussion on frameworks and gender equity in One Health. The conversation highlights the work of the Network for Ecohealth and One Health (NEOH) and its Gender Working Group, which has been advancing equity-focused approaches to public health, sustainability, and systems change for over a decade.Panelists include Dr. Julie Garnier, Dr. Evan Griffith, Elena Boriani, Dr. Brigitte Banyole, Carla Berger, and Dr. Sara Savic, each bringing expertise spanning veterinary medicine, anthropology, chemistry, and international development. Together they unpack the importance of mainstreaming gender equity into One Health practices, from global action plans to local community resilience.The discussion explores key milestones such as the One Health Evaluation Handbook, the newly released open-access textbook on One Health competencies, and the groundbreaking gender-responsive implementation guide for national One Health action plans.Tune in to learn how equity-focused frameworks are reshaping the future of One Health collaboration worldwide.Explore More about NEOH:🌐 NEOH resources and membership: https://neoh.network 📘 Open-access textbook: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/9781800623002.0000 ⁠💼 LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/company/107974566/admin/dashboard/ ▶️ YouTube webinars: https://www.youtube.com/@neoh-ecohealthint.europech5439

In this episode of One Health Wednesdays, Dr. Ginger Dixon speaks with Dr. Ife Akanbi, a public health veterinarian, lecturer, and rabies educator from Nigeria. Dr. Akanbi shares how she integrates community engagement, vaccination programs, and policy advocacy into a systems-based approach to rabies prevention.Her work reaches dog owners, hunters, school children, market traders, and healthcare workers, adapting education and intervention strategies to cultural contexts. She addresses challenges such as mistrust, limited vaccine access, and traditional practices that increase rabies risk. Initiatives like mobile vaccination clinics, the Zero Rabies app, and youth engagement programs help bridge gaps between policy, community needs, and available resources.Dr. Akanbi’s vision focuses on strengthening laws for responsible dog ownership, improving vaccine distribution systems, and fostering collaboration between animal, human, and environmental health sectors to reduce rabies cases and strengthen One Health systems.🎧 Listen now to hear how coordinated systems and culturally informed strategies can save lives.We’ll add these links to the show notes for reference.So Sad! She lost Her First Son to Rabieshttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/ifeoluwapo-akanbi-7568a9101_worldrabiesday-endrabiesnow-onehealth4all-activity-7113262281471275008-K2f8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABnwWvIBqgUI5KTrqt3Z3uegvp5XIb0Ug7YA Nursing Mother Dies of Rabies Shortly after Delivering her Babyhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/ifeoluwapo-akanbi-7568a9101_rabies-rages-lets-join-forces-to-combat-activity-7279833134433529856-pg6w?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABnwWvIBqgUI5KTrqt3Z3uegvp5XIb0Ug7YRabies Education for Childrenhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/ifeoluwapo-akanbi-7568a9101_rabiesawareness-publichealtheducation-healthcommunication-activity-7320816245207887872-V0ZQ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABnwWvIBqgUI5KTrqt3Z3uegvp5XIb0Ug7YSaving Lives with Rabies Vaccinehttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/ifeoluwapo-akanbi-7568a9101_worldimmunizationweek-worldimmunizationweek2025-activity-7325081481121267712-Q50U?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABnwWvIBqgUI5KTrqt3Z3uegvp5XIb0Ug7YAntimicrobial Resistance Club launchhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/ifeoluwapo-akanbi-7568a9101_antimicrobialresistance-amr-antimicrobialstewardship-activity-7334156114135035904-U7_t?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABnwWvIBqgUI5KTrqt3Z3uegvp5XIb0Ug7YAntimicrobial Resistance Awareness Campaignhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/ifeoluwapo-akanbi-7568a9101_fcahptib61stanniversary-amr-amu-activity-7313339491342020610-YOFr?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABnwWvIBqgUI5KTrqt3Z3uegvp5XIb0Ug7Y

In this week’s episode of One Health Wednesdays, guest host Dr. Julia Zammit speaks with PhD researchers Jennifer Collins and Ana Krause about how One Health systems succeed (or stall) when implementation is overlooked.They explore why most antimicrobial resistance (AMR) plans neglect environmental health, how terminology gaps and siloed thinking disrupt collaboration, and what it means to embed sustainability into infection control. From refugee camp operations to evidence reviews, this conversation draws a clear line between field realities and global guidance.With a focus on implementation science, real-world research, and sustainability-driven practice, this One Health episode offers a grounded look at how to make meaningful systems change. You’ll hear practical ideas for building strong cross-sector partnerships and the case for turning One Health goals into shared responsibility.🎧 Listen in to hear what One Health looks like when collaboration and context drive the work.

In this solo “Field Notes” episode of One Health Wednesdays, Dr. Ginger Dixon steps into the woods and into the heart of a growing public health concern: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). While no human cases have been confirmed, this prion disease is reshaping the landscape of wildlife management, food security, and community traditions.Dr. Dixon demystifies the science of prions, misfolded proteins with a haunting ability to cross species, and explains why CWD echoes the hard lessons of Mad Cow Disease. More than just science, this episode serves as a field-ready guide for front-line hunters and conservationists.From prevention practices to field dressing and sanitization protocols, listeners will walk away with grounded tools and a clearer sense of their role in collective protection. Because when hunters lead with vigilance, they become stewards of ecosystems, food systems, and public health.🎧 Tune in to learn what it means to be on the front lines of a resilient response.