ARTICLES

NGO PLANS TO CONTROL ANIMAL, HUMAN DISEASES

A civil society organisation, Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), is to launch an integrated approach to wild life conservation and human health in Bwindi national park next week.

According to CTPH founder Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusooka, "Conservation through Public Health believes that the most efficient way of controlling diseases that spread between people and animals is through integrated human and animal health programmes around protected areas."

Kalema said in a statement that dangerous diseases like tuberclosis, scabies, measles, rabies and brucellosis are transmitted faster by close contact between people and animals but could be treated.

"Conservation through public health services is the most efficient way of controlling diseases that spread from wildlife to people, their domestic animals and vice-versa. That is possible with integrated human and animal health programmes," she said.

The nation-wide programme aims at improving primary health care of people and animals around protected areas, as a way of promoting public health and conservation.

She said connecting the improvement of human health to wildlife conservation is a key to securing long-term commitment from local people who will protect wildlife for future generations.

Kalema said poor communities living near protected areas and are affected by diseases but have no access to medical care, neglect the conservation of animals like the mountain gorilla. Other founders of the CTPH programme are Lawrence Zikusooka and Steven Rubanga, a chief veterinary technician.