The governor of Western Equatoria State, Badagbu Daniel Rimbasa, has urged residents to stop consuming bush meat, warning that it could expose people to dangerous zoonotic diseases that spread from animals to humans.
Speaking to communities in Yambio over the weekend, Governor Rimbasa advised the public to avoid eating dry meat of unknown origin and to immediately report any suspected animal disease outbreaks to the relevant authorities.
“As the Government of Western Equatoria State, we will stand firmly against zoonotic diseases. Our people should not expose themselves to these diseases,” he stated. “Every citizen should become an ambassador for disease prevention so that we can save lives.”
The governor stressed that preventing zoonotic diseases requires cooperation between the government and the public. He called on residents to follow public health advice, avoid risky consumption of bush meat, and support efforts to protect both human health and wildlife.
He also reaffirmed his government’s commitment to working closely with Fauna & Flora to conserve biodiversity, protect wildlife, and preserve the environment across Western Equatoria State.
Meanwhile, the Director of Wildlife in Western Equatoria State, Joseph Doup Deng, warned that eating dry bush meat can expose people to deadly diseases such as Ebola, which has previously been reported in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“Consuming dry bush meat can indeed spread dangerous diseases,” he said. “People should avoid eating dry meat and avoid unnecessary cross-border movement into Congo while health risks remain.”
Duop also urged residents to stop entering protected parks to hunt wild animals, warning that illegal hunting threatens biodiversity and increases the risk of disease transmission from wildlife to humans.
The awareness campaign aims to protect public health, conserve biodiversity, prevent illegal hunting, and reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases in Western Equatoria State.
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