ARTICLES

LAUNCH OF CONSERVATION THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH IN UGANDA

A strategic planning and stakeholder consultation workshop for Conservation Through Public Health to launch the new grassroots non-profit organization was held on September 24th and 25th 2003 at the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation, Ruhija, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. The workshop aimed to create awareness on the need to prevent and control diseases of tuberculosis, scabies, rabies and ebola where wildlife, people and livestock interact. The workshop was funded by the North Carolina Zoological Society, USA.

According to founders of Conservation Through Public Health, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka (Chief Executive Officer), Lawrence Zikusoka (Director, ICT for Development) and Steven Rubanga (Chief Veterinary Technician) the poorest people live next to protected areas and have very limited access to primary health care and information on diseases that can spread between wildlife and people.

The participants included local and district officials from Kanugu, Kisoro and Kabale, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries and Education, Tourism and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sectors, the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, and the North Carolina Zoological Society.

Conservation Through Public Health intends to train community health workers and protected areas staff, support school health programs, promote awareness on cross species disease transfer, promote local content development and knowledge tools, build capacity on the use of ICT, support disease surveillance and health monitoring, and disseminate conservation and health information at local, regional and international levels.