DART (Dengue Advanced Readiness Tools), a new project led by Oxford University, has received funding from Wellcome to use climate data to better predict and prepare for infectious diseases outbreaks.
DART (Dengue Advanced Readiness Tools), a new project led by Oxford University, has received funding from Wellcome to use climate data to better predict and prepare for infectious diseases outbreaks.
The climate crisis is a health emergency which is threatening the lives and wellbeing of communities around the world in many ways – including the spread of infectious diseases. As global temperatures continue to warm, more places are becoming suitable habitats for disease-carrying mosquitoes. Increases in extreme weather events like storms and floods can also contaminate water supplies and disrupt access to safe sanitation, causing the spread of life-threatening infections.
Wellcome is supporting global research to advance solutions to address these urgent health threats, and has announced funding for 24 research teams in 12 countries around the world to develop innovative digital tools to model the relationship between climate change and infectious disease.
The £22.7 million funding will allow these projects will address critical gaps in understanding about where and when deadly disease outbreaks are likely to occur, helping policy-makers to plan ahead, prepare healthcare systems and increase treatment accessibility and resources, and respond rapidly with targeted and efficient public health measures, saving more lives.
Read more at University of Oxford
Photo Credit: 41330 via Pixabay
