As Ghana and Nigeria grapple with outbreaks of anthrax, scientists say governments must prioritise funds for vaccination to prevent a re-emergence of the disease across West Africa.

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease – transmissible from animals to humans – caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis.

Dozens of animals and one person died as a result of confirmed cases of anthrax in the Upper East region of northern Ghana in early June, while the disease was confirmed in Nigeria’s north-central state of Niger in July.