SATREPS Joint Workshop in Ghana
Improving Human Health Conditions and Resilience to Climate Change in Ghana
Date: 2-3 December, 2011
Location: NMIMR Conference Hall, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana
Co-Organized by:TMDU, NMIMR, IR3S, University of Ghana, UNU-ISP
Contact:
Osamu Saito, UNU-ISP
saito@unu.edu
Download Flyer (PDF, 619KB)
Overview
Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Integrated Research Systems for Sustainability Science, University of Tokyo, in partnership with Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research will organise a joint workshop from December 2-3, 2011 on how research on relationship between climate/ecosystem changes and health issues can contribute to human well-being in West Africa.
Climate/ecosystem changes have affected human health for millennia and yet retain the potential to affect lives in several direct and indirect ways at varying levels of severity. In semi-arid Africa, extreme weather events associated with climate/ecosystem changes (e.g. storms, floods, droughts and heatwaves) have affected some of the most basic determinants of health. The impacts of these events have affected not only agricultural production but increased frequency and intensity of infectious and vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, cholera etc. in both urban and rural Africa.
Thus, understanding threats posed by climate change to ecosystem and public health has become a critical issue that requires cooperation among health- and-biodiversity-related studies. But to date the link between these study areas is not fully explored. The objective of the workshop therefore is to understand how ecosystem/climate change affect human health and explore research strategies needed to protect vulnerable communities in the West African region.
The events consist of a public forum on the first day where we have invited renowned experts to give three keynote lectures on medicinal plant resources and climate change. This would be followed by two sessions on the SATREPS projects in which project members present their research updates in Ghana. The second day is a wrap-up session to discuss the future of both projects. On the second day, friends of SATREPS, young researchers and fieldworkers from partnering Ghanaian research institutes will share their research and experience with the public.
Registration
Online registration is now closed. We look forward to welcoming you to this event.
Programme
DAY 1 : Friday, 2 December 2011
| Opening | |
| 9:30-10:30 | Opening Remarks
Prof. Alexander Nyarko, Director, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana Mr. Naoto Nikai, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Japan in Ghana Representative from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) Mr. Jiro Inamura, Chief Representative, JICA Ghana Office Mr. Shigeo Okaya, Director, Research Partnership for Sustainable Development Division, Japan Science and Technology Agency |
| Keynote Lectures | |
| 10:30-12:00 | Climate Change and Infectious Diseases from the Global Perspective (tentative) Speaker from United Nations University International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH) Medicinal Plant Resources in West Africa (tentative)Speaker from Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) or Forest Commission Climate Change, Water Quality and Human Health in Asia (tentative)Prof. Kensuke Fukushi, IR3S, The University of Tokyo |
| 12:10-13:30 | Lunch |
| Session 1 | |
| 13:30-15:00 | Climate and Ecosystem Changes (CECAR-Africa project)
Chair: Prof. Edwin A. Gyasi, Professor, Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana |
| 15:00-15:30 | Break |
| Session 2 | |
| 15:30-17:30 | Plant Medicine and Infectious Diseases (TMDU project)
Chair: Prof. Nyarko, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana |
DAY 2 : Saturday, 3 December 2011
| Debrief/Wrap-up Session | |
| 10:00-12:00 | Summary of the Day 1
Chair: Prof. Kazuhiko Takeuchi, IR3S, The University of Tokyo, UNU-ISP and Elias Ayuk, UNU-INRA |
| 12:00-13:30 | Lunch |
| Session 1 | |
| 13:30-15:00 | Presentation from Student and Young Researcher (oral or poster session)
Students and researchers from University of Ghana, University for Development Studies; JICA Field Volunteers |
| 15:00-15:30 | Break |
| Session 2 | |
| 15:30-17:00 | Presentation from Student and Young Researcher (oral or poster session)
Students and researchers from University of Ghana, University for Development Studies; JICA Field Volunteers |
| 17:00 | Reception Dinner |
*Please note this programme is tentative and subject to change.
