Pages: (61-68 )
Abstract
The pandemic of COVID-19 brought about restrictions in global movement along with vaccination to ensure the needed reduction in human death. This prevented the scheduled Rabies in West Africa 2020 conference to hold in Sierra Leone. The decision to conduct a virtual meeting was made and fundamental variations were introduced into the conventional annual RIWA conference. The Sierra Leone, 2021 virtual conference was held, 3rd to 6th May, 2021 with the theme, "Is the global goal of rabies elimination by 2030 achievable in Africa in general and West Africa in particular within the current landscape of policy and prevention strategies, complicated by COVID-19 pandemic?" The collaboration of four universities, located in three continents (Njala University, Sierra Leone; the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, both in West Africa; the University of Queensland, Australia; and the King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East) offered a global platform for the conference to reach the English-speaking, French-speaking and Arab-speaking world. These are official languages in West Africa and most parts of Africa. A total of 136 participants were reached in their languages and ensured a cultural connection to their life values. The webinar provided an opportunity for stakeholders in the control of rabies (physicians, veterinarians, academia, policy makers, civil servants, politicians, security agencies, and the general public) in member countries to interact with leading experts from around the world.
Keywords: Pandemic; RIWA, Virtual meeting; Webinar; West Africa.,