Dengue is a major public health problem throughout Latin America, particularly in cities. At the same time, Chagas disease is persisting and re-emerging in different rural ecological zones of the continent, notably in the Northern Cone of Latin America and Central America. Environmental management is particularly important for controlling these diseases.
https://youtu.be/0PUsdv1kDTc
This TDR project is based on IDRC’s ecohealth approach and combines research on the vectors that carry the diseases with multi-stakeholder engagement. We call this eco-bio-social research, and the approach has provided evidence that a new environmental and community approach can in fact not only reduce vector densities but empower communities to tackle the social and environmental determinants that render them at risk for vector-borne diseases.
We have been pleased to work with the Ecosystem and Human Health Program of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to develop and implement this extensive multi-country project, and with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), who are helping to transition the research evidence into policy and practice.
