Her Royal Highness Princess Ameera Visits NMIMR, Dr - Noguchi

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ECO-HEALTH APPROACH TO THE CONTROL OF
ONCHOCERCIASIS IN THE VOLTA BASIN OF
GHANA
Professor Michael D. Wilson from the Institute
together with Drs. Obuobi and Osei-Atweneboana of
Water Research Institute, Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research, scientists from University of
Greenwich, UK and Institute of Statistical and
Social and Economic Research and Institute for Mathematical Studies, Ghana are conducting
investigations into how future climate and environmental changes will impact on current
onchocerciasis transmission patterns and on socio-economic development of endemic
communities in Ghana. Through this research, mitigating strategies would be developed to
reduce the impact through sustainable community-directed management in ivermectin drug -
resistant areas and blackfly biting nuisance. Specifically, the research project seeks to achieve
the following:
� Identify factors, which explain the reasons why some areas in the Black Volta River Basin of
Ghana are developing resistance to the ivermectin control of onchocerciasis;
� Identify vulnerable zones (e.g. mountainous areas where vectors could survive at higher
altitudes with global warming or forest areas becoming savanna-like) and predict probable
changes in vector ecologies, distributions and transmission efficiencies for policy attention;
� Assess the suitability of mitigation measures to control onchocerciasis (e.g. sustained means of
ivermectin distribution, vector control, immigration screening, afforestation or locally managed
control measures at dams and other locations); and recommend adaptation strategies for
endemic communities to enable them cope with the impacts of climate change on socio-
economic activities.
Professor Michael D. Wilson
rofessor Michael D. Wilson
Baseline data on socio-demography, health seeking behaviour, public health facilities etc. has
been completed which involved 1,790 respondents in 19 endemic communities, followed up
with focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, durbars and workshop of stakeholders and
concurrent entomology studies at these sites has revealed that the areas where there is on-
going transmission coincided with areas where ivermectin responsiveness have been reported.