140253 SE VM6 / VM8 - Globalisation, Emerging and Re-Emerging infectious and zoonatic Diseases (2016W)

This course draws a multi-disciplinary approach on the environment, human and animal public health. Students will gain competence on basic concepts, theories, methods for responding to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, zoonoses, epidemics, and pandemic threats. There is widespread increase in disease outbreaks and some without cure and control, leading to high morbidity and mortality in the world. Hence, the need to understand and reflect on the health and notion of wellbeing of humanity in relation to globalization and development.

Theoretical aspects of globalization and health, framing of the problem of disease emergence and an overview of the zoonotic diseases
The role of the World Health Organization, its definition of health, international health regulations, policies and strategies.
Factors influencing transmission and epidemiological patterns, climate change and pathogen emergence
One health (one medicine) approaches to the problem of emerging and re-merging infectious and zoonotic diseases
Health policies

The course will focus particularly on the following elements:
1. Globalization, health and development: Non communicable diseases, pandemics and epidemics
2. Types: Emerging, re-emerging infectious, and zoonotic diseases
3. Factors contributing to spread of emerging and zoonotics and mapping of geographical distribution of diseases
4. World Health Organisation regulations, Biosecurity and zoonotic diseases
5. Vaccines, diagnostics, and antimicrobial agents in control of communicable diseases
(a) Vaccine development (big companies and trials /common community beliefs)
(b) Diagnostics , treatment and control
6. Antimicrobial resistance
(a) Magnitude of the antimicrobial resistance (consumption of medicines off the pharmaceutical counters especially antibiotics by humans and animals)
(b) Impact of agriculture practice (ecosystems, biodiversity and host parasites)
(c) Impact of veterinary and animal husbandry practice (living next to game reserves and poaching or rearing domestic animals in close range with wildlife)
7. Health systems in control of outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics
(a) Preparedness for and response to disease outbreaks
(b) Health System Strengthening
(c) Public health measures and control of outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics
(d) One Health approaches to the problem of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases (OHCEA/Asian based SEAHOUN organisations to prevent public health pandemics)-and-Eco-health initiatives
8. Community mobilization for control of outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics
(a) Community health workers in Disease surveillance and response
(b) Health and Social protection /community insurances
(c) Community participatory approaches research applications to emerging zoonotic diseases (using of focus group discussions, key informants, in depth interviews and observation in studying anthrax in the soil, rabies due to stray dogs in cities and rural communities and others)
9. Emerging pandemic threats and infectious disease risks: risk behaviours and assessment, and risk communication (behavioural model analysis)
10. Occupational health and safety, Climate change (road accidents, fires, and gendered hurricanes like Katrina in New Orleans), Climate change adaptation and emerging zoonotic diseases
11. Use of HIV/AIDS model for treatment of other diseases e.g., at health facilities where peer groups and expert patients help with treatment and sharing of health information e,g., for NCDs like Type 2 Diabetes etc)
12. Institutions that respond to emerging infectious and zoonotic diseases.