The tobacco epidemic kills more than 6 million people every year, making it one of the world’s most significant public health threats. With nearly 80% of the world’s one billion smokers living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), governments and households alike are struggling to cope with growing tobacco-related healthcare costs and lost productivity.
Many cattle carry Cryptosporidium, an organism causing gastrointestinal illness with diarrhea that can be dangerous for both humans and animals. Preventing and managing this disease places a heavy burden on hospitals and veterinarians. IDRC-supported research into health hazards on smallholder dairy farms in a poor urban area in Kenya found that eating vegetables contaminated with animal manure or human waste was more dangerous than handling cattle or drinking milk.
Agricultural production is rapidly expanding in Southeast Asia. While this can lead to improved food security, nutrition, and income in the region, it also increases the risk of disease, exposure to chemicals, and the loss of biodiversity. The IDRC-supported Ecohealth Field Building Initiative (FBLI) supports research in the region that aims to improve understanding of the effects of agricultural change on ecosystems and human health, and provide sustainable solutions.
For the tobacco industry, West Africa is a lucrative market. Although detrimental to health, tobacco consumption is on the rise, particularly among young people.
Research in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras confirms that low cost and locally sustainable home improvements provide a sustainable means of controlling the spread of Chagas disease.
As climate change and irrigation pressures mount in rural Tunisia, a multi-faceted research effort is giving rural communities the knowledge and tools to stem a growing tide of infection.