Zoonotic Spillover: Examining Land Use Governance for Animals and Public Health Safety in Uganda

Zoonotic diseases, which account for more than 75 per cent of all new infectious diseases emerging worldwide, present a grave danger to Uganda's public health system. The research investigates how land-use governance practices affect both animal health and public safety during zoonotic disease outbreaks. The problem statement identifies how human activities have created "hazardous landscapes" through their destruction of natural habitats, which enables pathogens to transfer from wildlife to humans. The study aims to assess existing governance systems while detecting deficiencies in their primary prevention methods. The research evaluates current One Health frameworks and environmental regulations using a doctrinal approach together with a systematic review method. The results demonstrate that divided governance systems combined with market practices, which include species deception, create high spillover dangers throughout biodiversity hotspots. The study recommends that Uganda needs to change its legal framework from emergency response measures toward permanent preventive strategies. The researchers propose that national land-use planning should establish permanent systems for multisectoral coordination while applying landscape immunity concepts throughout all development projects.