Over the past decade, zoonotic diseases like mpox, Marburg, and Ebola have claimed tens of thousands of lives across Africa, placing significant strain on healthcare systems and costing billions of dollars in containment and mitigation efforts. The unchecked consumption of bush meat has been identified as one of the primary contributors to the rising incidence of these diseases.
In Kenya, for example, Sh6.7 billion was allocated in 2024 to combat mpox, despite the country reporting only 41 cases of the disease since its outbreak. This spending highlights the ongoing challenge of managing preventable zoonotic diseases while healthcare systems struggle to address more pressing infrastructural needs.
The number of zoonotic disease cases in Africa has surged by 63% in recent years, driven by pathogens such as Ebola, Marburg, and mpox. These diseases are primarily transmitted through close interactions with wild animals, underscoring the importance of controlling practices such as bush meat consumption.
Cultural and Economic Factors Driving Bush Meat Consumption
Despite growing awareness about the health risks of bush meat, the practice remains widespread in many African countries, including Kenya. Wild animals such as monkeys, rodents, primates, and bats are often hunted for food or medicinal purposes, driven by cultural traditions, food scarcity, and economic hardships. These animals are known to be reservoirs for a variety of zoonotic diseases, including Ebola, Marburg, anthrax, and rabies, which can spread to humans through direct contact or consumption of infected meat.
Global Health Concerns and Disease Transmission
Zoonotic diseases, which are transmitted from animals to humans, have become a growing global health concern. Many of these diseases, such as mpox, Marburg virus, and Ebola, originate from wild animals and are often linked to human activities like hunting, deforestation, and bush meat consumption.
Mpox, often associated with rodents like Gambian pouched rats and squirrels, spreads to humans through bites, scratches, or the consumption of infected animals. Though historically confined to Central and West Africa, recent outbreaks have demonstrated that human-to-human transmission can cause global spread.
Similarly, the Marburg virus, linked to Egyptian fruit bats, spreads through contact with bat droppings or saliva. Once in human populations, the virus is transmitted via bodily fluids, leading to deadly outbreaks across countries such as Uganda and Angola.
Ebola, another highly fatal disease, has its roots in wild animals like fruit bats, chimpanzees, and gorillas. It spreads when humans come into contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or tissues of infected animals, particularly when handling or consuming bush meat.
Other zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, Lassa fever, and the Nipah virus, have also emerged from wild animals, further emphasizing the need for greater control over human-wildlife interactions.
Contributing Factors to Increased Disease Risk
Several human-driven factors have contributed to the rising incidence of zoonotic diseases. Deforestation and habitat loss force wildlife into closer contact with human populations, increasing the likelihood of disease transmission. The bush meat trade exacerbates the risk, as people come into contact with infected animals during hunting or processing. Rapid urbanization and climate change also play a role, altering animal migration patterns and facilitating the spread of diseases.
Financial Investments in Disease Control
As of February 2025, considerable financial resources have been allocated to combat mpox outbreaks in Africa. In September 2024, the Pandemic Fund Board approved $128.89 million to support 10 African nations severely affected by the disease. The European Union also committed €20 million to assist the Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) in their mpox preparedness and response efforts. The United Kingdom further pledged £5.5 million for research into mpox transmission, vaccines, and treatments.
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has allocated over Sh6.7 billion (approximately $60 million) to manage the mpox outbreak as part of the country’s preparedness and response plan.
The Toll of Zoonotic Diseases
Over the past decade, diseases like mpox, Marburg, and Ebola have caused extensive harm in Africa. The financial burden of these outbreaks has been immense, with the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic alone resulting in over $53 billion in global economic losses. Countries affected by these outbreaks have relied heavily on international aid for containment efforts, which include medical interventions and vaccine development.
In addition to the immediate loss of life, the long-term impact on healthcare infrastructure has been devastating. Marburg and Ebola outbreaks have overwhelmed medical facilities, necessitating emergency funding from the WHO and other international partners. The African Union’s Africa CDC and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have been instrumental in expanding vaccine stockpiles and strengthening rapid response systems.
Moving Forward: Strengthening Prevention and Surveillance
While international funding has been critical in responding to zoonotic outbreaks, experts emphasize the need for sustained investments in surveillance, vaccination programs, and healthcare infrastructure to prevent future epidemics. Ensuring that communities have access to adequate healthcare services, alongside better enforcement of public health measures to regulate bush meat consumption, will be key to reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases in the future.
As zoonotic diseases continue to pose a significant threat to public health, global collaboration and long-term planning will be essential to protect vulnerable populations and prevent further outbreaks.
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