The Socioeconomic Impacts of Rift Valley Fever

What is it about?

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a neglected vector-borne disease that affects both animals and humans. It's caused by a virus and is principally transmitted by mosquitoes. While it primarily affects livestock, it can also cause serious illness in humans. RVF can lead to abortions in animals, reduced milk production and the death of livestock, which is a major source of income and food. This can have a devastating impact on farmers' livelihoods, particularly individuals of lower socioeconomic status, in resource-limited settings where livestock rearing is a critical source of income and food security. RVF can also cause severe illness and even death in humans. This review highlights the significant economic, and health impacts and the lack of knowledge regarding the gendered impacts of RVF. We hope this review will help raise awareness of the gendered impacts of RVF and encourage efforts to develop future studies to fill these knowledge gaps. This will no doubt lead to better prevention and control strategies.

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Photo by Carlos Torres on Unsplash

Photo by Carlos Torres on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the socioeconomic impacts of Rift Valley fever (RVF). This is important because, while RVF is a well-known disease, its full impact on communities is often overlooked. This review highlighted gendered specific impacts of RVF. Women often play a crucial role in livestock rearing, but their specific needs and vulnerabilities during outbreaks are not well understood. It was found in this review pregnant women are at especially high risk of developing severe complications from RVF infection. By highlighting these gendered impacts, we hope to encourage more inclusive and effective prevention and control strategies. Given the increasing frequency and severity of RVF outbreaks, this research is particularly timely. By understanding the full extent of the disease's impacts, we can better prioritize prevention and control efforts and protect vulnerable communities.

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