Living Safely with Bats: Africa Version

PREDICT-2 is part of USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) program and aims to strengthen global capacity for the detection, discovery, and prevention of viruses with pandemic potential, specifically those that can move between animals and people (zoonotic viruses). Implementing partners for PREDICT-2 are the University of California, Davis; EcoHealth Alliance; Metabiota; Smithsonian Institution; Wildlife Conservation Society; and, the partner institutions and governments of the 35 countries in which we have worked. A goal of the behavioral risk component of PREDICT-2 is to use scientific results to inform the development of intervention strategies that could reduce the spillover, amplification, and spread of novel viruses. Preliminary analyses identified an expressed need to provide behavior change strategies as they relate to living safely with bats. The current resource was developed to address this need. A moderated picture book format was recommended by local leaders. Subject matter experts from the PREDICT-2 consortium developed an initial draft which was updated based on feedback from country teams and local community members. When the picture book is used in new settings, it is recommended that additional local level feedback be incorporated to tailor the content to the specific context. Moderation of the picture book is intended to be provided by a trusted community leader, and talking points are provided for each image that the storyteller can use to moderate the discussion. To facilitate this, the document should be printed out such that there is an image on one side with the talking points on the other side. The moderator can then hold up the images to show to the audience, and use the talking points on the back to guide the discussion. This document was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats PREDICT program.