Long-standing environmental hazards. New and unprecedented environmental changes. Rapid economic growth. Changing societies. All are affecting the health and livelihoods of poor people around the world.

Often, these populations live in degraded ecosystems that are harmful to their health, but they have few resources to improve their circumstances. They face malnutrition, environmental pollution, and new and old infectious diseases.

Since 1996 IDRC has supported research on ways to improve the health of people and ecosystems in the developing regions of the world. This work has helped establish the field of ecosystem approaches to human health (ecohealth)

Learn more about the Ecohealth Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Initiative (Eco EID), a partnership between IDRC, Canadian International Development Agency, and the Australian Agency for International Development. Eco EID aims to improve knowledge and capacities to prevent and control new and re-emerging infectious diseases in South East Asia and China.