UI Professor Advocates One Health Strategy to Tackle Rising Threat of Parasitic Diseases

A Professor of Veterinary Parasitology at the University of Ibadan, Professor Isaiah Oluwafemi Ademola, has called for the adoption of a “One Health” approach to combat parasitic diseases, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among medical practitioners, veterinarians, environmental scientists, and public health professionals.

Professor Ademola made the call while delivering the 617th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The lecture, titled “Unmasking and Combating the Midnight Pestilence,” examined the growing threat posed by parasitic diseases to human health, animal welfare, food security, and economic development.

Describing parasites as silent and persistent adversaries, the professor noted that they have afflicted humans and animals for centuries, undermining health, reducing productivity, threatening food security, and perpetuating poverty across societies.

He explained that despite advances in medicine and public health, parasites have continued to survive through mechanisms such as drug resistance, immune evasion, environmental adaptation, and complex life cycles.

According to him, factors including rapid urbanisation, climate change, deforestation, agricultural expansion, population growth, and increased global travel have created favourable conditions for the emergence and spread of parasitic diseases.

Professor Ademola noted that many emerging infectious diseases are transmitted between animals and humans, making collaboration across multiple disciplines essential to disease prevention and control.

He stated that parasites affect humans, animals, and plants, with many infections acquired through contaminated food and water, poor sanitation, environmental exposure, and the consumption of undercooked meat and fish.

The veterinary parasitologist expressed concern over the prevalence of open defecation in Nigeria, noting that the practice continues in both rural and urban communities, including schools and public institutions.

According to him, open defecation contaminates soil, water, and food sources with parasitic and bacterial pathogens, contributing significantly to the spread of infections, particularly among children.

He added that poor sanitation contributes to malnutrition, anaemia, stunted growth, and reduced productivity while imposing substantial economic costs on the country.

Professor Ademola stressed the urgent need for coordinated national sanitation interventions to address these challenges.

He further described parasites as hidden threats within the food chain and called for improved hygiene practices, effective meat inspection systems, safe water supply, and increased public awareness to reduce food-borne infections.

The don also highlighted the socioeconomic impact of parasitic diseases on Nigeria’s livestock industry, noting that infections reduce animal productivity, increase mortality rates, restrict trade opportunities, and diminish farmers’ livelihoods.

He described parasites as a “midnight pestilence” that continues to thrive unnoticed within global health systems, silently affecting millions of people and animals worldwide.

According to him, the burden of parasitic diseases is often underestimated because many infections remain chronic, asymptomatic, neglected, or poorly diagnosed, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Professor Ademola acknowledged recent advances in diagnostic technologies and epidemiological investigations, which have improved the detection, monitoring, and control of parasitic diseases.

However, he warned that the widespread nature of these infections reflects deeper systemic weaknesses in sanitation, disease surveillance, animal husbandry practices, and public health infrastructure.

He argued that addressing these challenges requires a genuinely transdisciplinary One Health approach that integrates public health, veterinary medicine, environmental management, and community participation.

The inaugural lecturer advocated stronger national disease surveillance systems, improved sanitation infrastructure, stricter food safety regulations, increased investment in research and innovation, and enhanced collaboration among universities, industries, and government agencies.

He also called for increased funding for education and scientific research, stressing that sustainable solutions to parasitic diseases and broader national development challenges depend on investments in science, technology, and human capital.

Professor Ademola further recommended the elimination of open defecation through large-scale investments in sanitation facilities, access to safe water, hygiene education, and community-led behavioural change programmes.

According to him, education and research remain the foundation of sustainable national development, while the fight against parasitic diseases cannot succeed without deliberate and sustained investment in scientific advancement.

He maintained that human actions remain the strongest defence against health threats and advocated a healthcare system focused on prevention and public health rather than one centred primarily on treating diseases after they occur.

The lecture was the 14th inaugural lecture delivered in the University of Ibadan’s 2025/2026 academic session.