Environmental degradation and forest destruction are directly linked to the rise of zoonotic diseases like Ebola, Rabies, Yellow Fever, Avian Influenza, and COVID-19.

• Public Health Specialist Dr. Ahmed Ogwell, former Deputy Director of AfricaCDC, warns that increased human interaction with wildlife habitats heightens disease transmission risk.
• Governments are urged to minimize ecosystem disruption, invest in healthcare capacity building, and promote strategic communication to manage public anxiety during outbreaks.
• A "One Health" approach, integrating animal, human, and environmental health surveillance, is recommended to proactively address zoonotic disease emergence.