77 Strengthening Education and Community Engagement

Knowledge and awareness of the community is a great start in fighting zoonotic disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2023). Lack of knowledge, prejudice, or distrust of the public health systems can deter people from seeking treatment or complying with prevention measures. It is therefore important to develop education programs that are specific to the local environment, such as in rural areas, among indigenous people, or in agricultural practicing youth to decrease risk (Kretzschmar et al. 2020). The CDC’s Youth Agriculture Education initiative is one of the programs that have shown that education at the early ages can influence people’s behavior and improve on safety measures (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2023). Such efforts should be amplified through schools, media, and other organizations in the society to create a culture of shared responsibility. It is important that people are informed so that they can act appropriately, for instance, by vaccinating their pets, wearing PPE, not having close contact with wildlife, or reporting any symptoms (World Health Organization 2023). These measures can help improve the country’s public health preparedness. Community health workers are very important in closing the gap between the public health system and the population. These persons can be trained to identify the first signs of zoonotic diseases, explain the risks, and provide preventive materials. Working with local leaders such as faith-based organizations and tribal councils can help increase trust and increase participation in prevention measures (Siedner et al. 2020). (E.B.)