Research and intervention clusters
Health Systems
Research in this cluster focuses on diagnosing barriers to access within the healthcare system. Recent projects include:
Zambia Data Use project and Challenges of nursing in rural Zambia.
Mining and health
Work is continuing on the project, Mining Contradictions: Reconciling Gender, Mining and Governance in Zambia.
Discussions with the Ministry of Health, ZEMA and Caritas are continuing toward a project that will strengthen mining governance in Zambia.
Climate change and environmental degradation
Climate change and environmental degradation: The impacts of climate change affect the stability of ecosystem resources and these, in turn, have adverse consequences for health outcomes and livelihoods. One of our ongoing projects analyzes Health care access and utilization for women and children in the Barotse floodplains.
Remote sensing and hydrological information systems
Through the FLOODMAL project, work on radar-remote sensing of wetlands has led to a time-series maps of water, vegetated-water and dry classes of wetlands. Both the hydro model and the remote sensing products could now form the basis for water-disease modelling and access to health facilities.
In addition, the FLOODMAL field survey of malaria vectors has been completed and genomic analysis is underway.
Read more on the FLOODMAL project.
Food Security & Nutrition
Food security research addresses objectives related to illuminating food-related determinants of health and well-being in Western Province. Research in this cluster is facilitated through projects including:
Cashew Rejuvenation and Establishment (CARE) project.
Food security and tobacco farming in rural Zambia.
Water and health
Water and health: Though natural patterns of flooding have shaped culture and livelihoods in the Barotse flood plain, in recent times, disruptions in flooding cycles (latter onset and unpredictable flows) have unsettled residents. Ongoing research in the area highlights severe impacts to water supply and sanitation conditions, an increase in various water-borne diseases became severely interrupted during flood times and this leads to loss of safe water and sanitation infrastructure, various water-borne diseases, and threats to food security.