Conservation Through Public Health

WILDLIFE HEALTH: With support from Tusk Trust, Babel Foundation, and WCN, CTPH continued its gorilla health monitoring program through clinical observations and routine non-invasive fecal sample collection from gorillas, people and livestock to create an early warning system for parasites, pathogens and other respiratory diseases of zoonotic nature. In total, 2,080 gorilla fecal samples were collected and tested from January to December 2022. Out of these, 880 samples were preserved and sent to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) to be tested for SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Thankfully we have had no cases of COVID-19 in the mountain gorillas. Results from the samples analysed for parasites showed that there was an increase in the infection rates of human and livestock related parasites in the collected gorilla faecal samples. In September 2022, people who had been previously found to have parasites were given dewormers. In November 2022, CTPH intervened by deworming livestock adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and also collected samples from both livestock and people living adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A total of 192 livestock samples and 400 human samples were collected to check for intestinal parasites and other pathogens. Continuous comparative analysis of samples from people, gorillas and livestock in high interaction spots enables us to identify potential spillover events and intervene in time to prevent zoonotic disease transmissions. With support from Tusk Trust, CTPH donated various supplies and equipment to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) including 10 GPS devices, food rations of 1600 kg of maize flour, 920 kg of dry beans, 750 kg of rice, 750 kg of groundnuts, 120 liters of cooking oil, 120 kgs of wheat flour, 80 packets of baking powder and 100 packets of salt, 4 mobile toilets and ten non-contact hand-washing facilities. In order to continue mitigating the threat of COVID-19 spreading from people to the mountain gorillas (who share 98.4% DNA with humans, making them highly susceptible to human diseases), with support from Tusk Trust, CTPH also trained 104 Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers and 100 porters of Bwindi and Mgahinga Conservation Area on the new UWA standard operating procedures for great ape viewing adopted from the IUCN Great Ape Tourism guidelines to better protect the great apes from human respiratory infections and other human-related diseases. These guidelines include mandatory wearing of protective face masks for all visitors, hand sanitizing, disinfection of boots before entering the forest, temperature checking before entering the forest, and enforcing a distance of 10 meters between people and the gorillas.

ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS: With funding from Tusk Trust, CTPH continued engaging reformed poachers, a group of people who agreed to lay down their tools and stop hunting in the forest which is illegal. Reformed poachers are supported to form associations which help to reduce illegal forest activities by taking on livelihood projects to improve and sustain their wellbeing reducing their dependance on the forest to meet their basic needs for food. CTPH in partnership with Bwindi Development Network and sub-county veterinary offices around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) purchased and distributed livestock to the following reformed poacher groups. 5 cows, 7 sheep, 7 sheep for Mukono, Ruhija and Nteko groups respectively. A total of 240 reformed poachers in the 3 groups benefited from the group livestock project. 139 in Nteko, 22 in Ruhija and 79 in Mukono.

COMMUNITY HEALTH AND CONSERVATION: Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) launched the Model Household initiative with the intention of improving our ability to measure impact of behavior change communication in transforming households around protected areas in Uganda where CTPH operates into Model One Health Households which exhibit positive behaviors, including investing in proper sanitation and hygiene, adopting family planning, good reproductive health, having a food crop garden using sustainable agriculture techniques, adopting alternative livelihoods, having adequate knowledge about the risks of zoonotic disease transmission between people and wild animals, and prioritizing wildlife conservation, creating a visible impact in these communities. All households are encouraged to reach a higher standard according to a list of 12 identified One Health indicators, through quarterly behavior change communications by Village Health and Conservation Teams (VHCTs). Model households are open to the community as learning sites for integrated health and environmental practices. At any time, neighbors can visit a model household for demonstrations on knowledge about healthy sustainable practices to eventually become model households and transform the whole village. Red homes with less than 4 out of 12 performance indicators will be given extra attention to reach green homes with nine performance indicators. With support from Wildlife Conservation Network, a baseline survey was conducted in February/March 2022 covering all the 6 parishes CTPH engages around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Mukono, Bujengwe, Buremba, Mpungu in Kanungu District and Nteko and Rubuguri in Kisoro District. The survey had a 96.1% response rate and a total of 7,616 households were recorded in 6 parishes by 249 VHCTs. Through our VHCT Model, we were able to reach over 7,616 households with an average of 5 household members making a total of 38,912 individuals. Majority of the people reached were females (51%) and 53% of the household members were under 18 years of age. With support from the GAIA Initiative, CTPH revived its programs around Mt. Elgon Conservation Area (MECA) by engaging key stakeholders and holding trainings with 86 Village Health and Conservation Teams (VHCTs), two of whom were transferred so now engaging 84 VHCTs. Key stakeholders including the District Health Officers (DHO), District Chief Administrative Officers (CAO), District Natural Resources Officers (DNRO), Uganda Wildlife Authority Community Conservation Department, District Planning office and Subcounty Chief in the three districts of Bulambuli, Kween and Bukwo were engaged to understand the progress of VHCT programs, the gaps to be filled and to integrate and align CTPH programs with government plans. VHCTs also received critical equipment such as activity logbooks and waterproof bags to enable them to carry out their roles in the field effectively. VHCTs conduct peer-to-peer behaviour change communication amongst the households in their catchment, disseminating One Health, conservation and voluntary family planning information and services. With funding from Dietrich American Foundation, CTPH paid for and enrolled for e-quality medical insurance membership conducted by Bwindi Community Hospital for 47 gorilla guardians and 222 of their family members, as well as 164 VHCTs and 851 of their family members, totalling 1,284 individuals now covered by health care. The services VHCTs and Gorilla Guardians are receiving include outpatient, inpatient, eye care, chronic illness, antenatal, post-natal, and emergency care. The program is currently only conducted in the Northern sector of BINP. In partnership with Reproductive Health Uganda, Kabale Branch, CTPH received a total of 1,470 COC pills and 12,960 Condoms. This followed a partnership that was formed in courtesy of Margaret Pyke Trust and Youth Advocacy Network (YADNET). CTPH works directly with VHCTs in 59 villages around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park who are trained to administer Family Planning so that they can take family planning services closer to remote communities that cannot easily access these services from local health centres.

ADVOCACY: On 19th July 2022, in collaboration with International Gorilla Conservation (IGCP) and Africa CSOs Biodiversity Alliance (ACBA), CTPH launched the policy brief on Responsible Tourism to Great Apes targeting government, donors and tour operators in 13 African countries with gorilla and chimpanzee tourism. The side event was held at the ACBA pavilion during the 1st IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) convened from 19th to 23rd June 2022 at the Kigali Convention Center in Rwanda to increase the understanding of the vital role Africa's protected and conserved areas play in conserving biodiversity and delivering the ecosystem services that underpin human well-being. The conference attracted a total number of 2,400 delegates from across the world. The ACBA pavilion, which filled up with over 40 delegates from Europe, USA, and 16 countries in Africa including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Madagascar, DRC, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. The side event was moderated by Mr Frank Turyatunga, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Director, Africa Office and attended by representatives from government, science, veterinary, public health, conservation, tourism and the business sectors. CTPH joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Conservation Day. This year's theme is Forests & Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet. On this day, CTPH hosted, British High Commissioner to Uganda, Kate Airey who came to see the work which the British High Commission has funded to CTPH. Other days celebrated include, One Health Day, World Gorilla Day, International Coffee Day, World Environment Day, World Population Day, International Day of Biodiversity, World Veterinary Day, International Women's Day, World Wildlife Day, world Zoonoses day and World Ranger Day. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: In partnership with Maliasili, we started developing the CTPH strategic plan for the period 2024 to 2028. The process started with Maliasili carrying out an organisation assessment in 2021 and then a situational analysis in 2022 during which various stakeholders were interviewed including Board Members, community members, staff and partners, amongst others. With support from Wildlife Conservation Network, a strategic planning workshop was held of which all staff participated. The workshop was held on 19th to 24th June 2022.

RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION. CTPH and other partners including Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda Wildlife Authority, University College London and University of Southern California are implementing a Collaborative One Health Research Initiative on Epidemics (COHRIE) project, led by UVRI entitled "Surveillance, Control and Prevention of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases in Uganda - A case study of Rift Valley Fever (RVF), Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and Brucellosis at the Human-Animal-Wildlife Interface in Diverse Agricultural systems". CTPH is leading the social sciences component including conducting Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAPs) surveys, key informant interviews and focus group discussions to understand gender and socio-cultural issues around transmission dynamics and drivers of spillover events of the three target diseases at the human-animal-wildlife interface. The three-year study funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) will cover four protected areas in Uganda: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. So far, both qualitative data from people and quantitative data from humans, livestock, wildlife, vectors and small rodents has been collected from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. CTPH together with University of Wisconsin-Madison is implementing a project "Healthy Children Healthy Apes. It involves collecting samples from trackers, porters, gorilla guardians who herd gorillas away from community land back to the national park together with their children. CTPH has so far collected 43 samples from school-going children. CTPH in partnership with Global GreenSTEM received funding from National Geographic to implement a project "STEMming Biodiversity Loss in Bwindi: Engaging Young People in STEM-inspired Market Driven Conservation Action" This project is aimed at engaging young people around BINP, in and out of school, and supporting their continued and diversified education. The project aims to increase conservation awareness amongst young people and their families around BINP and address harmful human activities, which are threatening the endangered mountain gorillas, other wildlife and their habitat. In October, CTPH carried out the STEM pre-survey questions with 528 youth to gauge their knowledge of conservation and environmental issues affecting villages around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Under this project, CTPH will engage 12 schools, including both Primary and Secondary levels, and 24 youth groups; reaching at least 1550 youth between the age of 10 to 24 years in total. We will share more updates on this project in our subsequent communications.