Bacterial and Viral Infection

Dr Victor Mogre and Dr Michael Head from the University for Development Studies and the University of Southampton are focusing on the impact of climate change on health in rural Ghana. Their health focus is on Yellow Fever, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, and skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (skin-NTDs), a stigmatised group of diseases that include leprosy and scabies.

They will look at community-led ‘dialogue-based interventions’, to investigate if they can improve population knowledge and practice around climate change, and decision-making by local and national policymakers. The intervention will involve ‘Community Champions’ (local respected leaders and elders) and will be delivered as part of sermons or class teaching, and include verbal and printed content.

Study sites are hard-to-reach ‘Last Mile’ rural populations in Northern and Savannah regions, Ghana. Their research includes community surveys, focus groups, a dialogue-based intervention, literature reviews, and continuous conversations with stakeholders. The surveys will replicate innovative methodology from their previous research, with electronic data collection by local residents. Surveys will be carried out before and after the intervention to assess changes in community knowledge. The aim is to keep sustained and informed conversation ongoing around NTDs, yellow fever, seasonal factors, and the evolving impacts of climate change.