Project B:

Early warning systems for improved human health and resilience to climate sensitive vector-borne diseases in Kenya

WHY THIS PROJECT?

There are several factors that influence the occurrence of VBD infections, most importantly: climate, ecosystems, human behaviour and disease pathogens. This project aims to better understand these factors and help vulnerable populations.

THE AIM

This project seeks to assess the vulnerability of dryland human populations to VBDs and develop strategies and systems to improve their resilience to climate-sensitive vector-borne diseases in Baringo County, Kenya.

THE SITE

Kenya: Baringo County (North Rift Valley)

RESEARCH APPROACHES

  • Determine factors that contribute to health vulnerability to VBDs
  • Assess existing adaptation strategies and develop solutions for enhancing resilience
  • Develop tools for detection of likely occurrence of climate sensitive VBDs
  • Assess and compare the temporal and spatial characteristics of VBD variability
  • Build stakeholder capacity to promote use of developed strategies
  • Entomological surveying of mosquitoes
  • Incidence and prevalence surveys

Why this project?

There are several factors that influence the occurrence of VBD infections. Most important of these are: climate, ecosystems, human behaviours, vectors and disease parasites.

This project aims to better understand these factors and help vulnerable populations. The researchers want to develop decision-support tools to improve early detection, early action and adaptation mechanisms, to increase population resilience to vector-borne diseases.