[FG] Swiss TPH (STPH)

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The proposed scientific exchange will bring together a select group of scholars and practitioners from Switzerland, Brazil, Morocco, France and Spain to set a joint research agenda on two phenomena of global relevance: a generalized trend of rapid population aging and climate change. Through mutual learning across different climatic regions of the world, the proposed transdisciplinary scientific exchange aims to jointly identify specific lines of research that can help bridge critical knowledge-action gaps regarding the integration of demographic and climate changes into urban and territorial planning. Tangible outcomes of the workshop will include (i) a jointly developed and consolidated research agenda to be used as a blueprint for developing proposals targeting different research project calls, (ii) a jointly developed peer-reviewed publication (opinion/viewpoint paper) presenting the urban health research needs identified in the workshops; and (iii) the dissemination of the outcomes of the scientific exchange in three languages (English, French, and Portuguese) through our networks, including the international channels of WHO’s Age-Friendly Environments Knowledge & Action Hubs.

Das BAFU hat als Umweltfachstelle des Bundes die Aufgabe, die Forschung über gesundheitliche Auswirkungen nichtionisierender Strahlung von Infrastrukturanlagen wie auch diesbezügliche Alltagserfahrungen zu verfolgen und die Ergebnisse zu bewerten, sowie die Öffentlichkeit über den Stand der Wissenschaft und der Erfahrung zu informieren. Sofern neue Ergebnisse dies erfordern, stellt es dem Bundesrat Antrag auf eine Anpassung der Immissionsgrenzwerte der NISV. Andernfalls muss es - insbesondere gegenüber technologiekritischen Kreisen - jederzeit begründen können, weshalb die geltenden Immissionsgrenzwerte nicht angepasst werden müssen. Die Bewertung muss Aussagen darüber machen, wie sicher biologische Effekte nachgewiesen sind, ob sie für die Gesundheit relevant sind und wie viele Menschen gegebenenfalls betroffen sind. Zur Bewertung gehört auch eine Früherkennung potenzieller Risiken.

Die zuständige Sektion NIS des BAFU hat die Universität Basel in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Schweiz. Tropen- und Public Health Institut Basel (Swiss TPH) mit der Bewertungsarbeit beauftragt. Der Fokus der Literaturberurteilung soll auf epidemiologische, experimentelle (Tiere und Zellen) sowie mechanistische Studien gelegt werden, wobei die Verantwortung und Expertise für die Bewertung breit abgestützt und durch Mediziner komplementiert ist, um eine umfassendere Sicht des wissenschaftlichen Kenntnisstandes zu erhalten. Zu diesem Zweck wurde die beratende Expertengruppe BERENIS eingesetzt.

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Genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) represent great potential for malaria control in the future. Target Malaria – a vector control research alliance based at the Imperial College in London – aims to develop genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes with the ultimate goal to reduce malaria transmission. Target Malaria uses a three-phased approach in this 170-million project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Open Philantropy. Phase 1, the release of genetically modified sterile males (non-gene drive) in a rural setting in Burkina Faso was completed in 2019. Phase 2 is currently in planning and the mosquitoes at this stage are modified in that (i) they have ~95% of male offspring (male bias) and (ii) the modification is on an autosome, not on a sex chromosome. Therefore, the gene modification is only transmitted to 50% of the offspring and thus dies out (self-limiting, non-gene drive). In a third phase, a gene drive will be explored where the two most promising options are fertile males that produce predominantly male offspring and sterile females.

For this phase 2, as part of the regulatory process and in order to apply best practices, a comprehensive Environmental, Social, Economic and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) is required by the Burkina Faso regulator and the implementing institutions. The Health Impact Assessment and Vector Control research groups of Swiss TPH have formed a consortium with INSUCO (social impact assessment expertise) and Oryx Expertise (environmental impact assessment expertise) to undertake this ESHIA. The goal of the ESHIA is to comprehensively assess and anticipate any potential environmental, socio-economic and health effects that this project has on the local environment and the population as well as to design a management and monitoring plan for the identified impacts. This fully integrated impact assessment will be the first of its kind for genetically modified mosquitoes and is an important part of the ethical and biosafety considerations indispensable for such a project.

Globally, three-quarters of people in sub-Saharan Africa and 25% worldwide lack basic hygiene services, defined as access to a handwashing station with soap and water. In health care centres and schools, this situation is dire, with only 60% of schools and 40% of health care facilities in low-income countries providing basic hand hygiene services. These gaps are even more pronounced in conflict settings, where basic WASH infrastructure is often severely compromised.

In such fragile contexts, poor water quality, overburdened sanitation systems, and inadequate water supply mean that hygiene needs are often unmet, leading to increased disease transmission. Yet, despite the heightened risk of infection, there is a dearth of research on hand hygiene in primary health care centres and schools, and monitoring and evaluation efforts remain under-prioritised.

The “Hand Hygiene for Health” (Hands4Health) project aims to address this need by implementing a multicomponent hand hygiene intervention in primary health care centres and schools in settings with protracted conflict. Components of the intervention include:

·      Infrastructure improvements, e.g. installation of Gravit’eau hand-washing stations, which operate with recycled water

·      Behaviour change interventions

·      Monitoring and evaluation