Cameroon-Nigeria-Italy scientific cooperation: veterinary public health and sustainable food safety to promote “one health/one prevention”

Sub-Saharan Africa has often adopted a short-term view of human development relying on external financial support, whereas limited resources are invested inscientific research, technology, prevention and innovation as drivers of social and economic growth and long-term sustainable development. In a continent whereproducts of animal origin have become fundamental in human diet, veterinary public health and food safety are called to face toxicological risk factors related tofood-chain contamination, in particular those triggering poor health burden through vertical (mother to child) exposure. This report summarizes the current items ofthe Cameroon-Nigeria-Italy experience of scientific cooperation pivoting on a network crosscutting public institutions, universities, NGOs and social, professional andscientific organizations. The network promotes a “social toxicology” based on the proactive capability of local communities to widen the field of internationalcooperation to the prevention early in life of chronic multi-factorial diseases. This will contribute towards the mitigation of infant morbidity and mortality, the increase of healthy life expectancy in children and adults as well as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.