Kickoff for project on Diarrhea and Dengue in Colombia

Hans Overgaard

A project inception workshop for the Diarrhea and Dengue (HEALTHPLATFORM) was held in Bogotá, Colombia, 28-30 September, 2010

HEALTHPLATFORM is the short title of a new initiative, funded by the Research Council of Norway, to develop a scientific and educational collaborative platform between the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) and the Universidad El Bosque (UED) in Colombia to promote innovative scientific research, capacity building, and student exchange on water, environment, sanitation, disease epidemiology, and health. In September 2010 the platform was launched by a project inception workshop. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the two universities.

Mesa de Yeguas – Workshop Foto: Maria Ines Matiz

The first project within the platform is called “Healthy Schools – Reducing dengue and diarrheal diseases in primary schools in Colombia”. Approximately 40 persons participated in the workshop, representing the partners of the project: Department of Mathematical Sciences and Technology (IMT), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB); Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia (UEB); Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK, (LSTM); the Lazos de Calandaima Foundation, Anapoima, Colombia. Other participants who were invited were UNICEF, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Secretaría de Salud de Cundinamarca, mayors and staff from municipalities of La Mesa, Anapoima y Apulo, Cundinamarca, and Mesa de Yeguas Country Club, Anapoima.

Anapoima Foto: Hans Overgaard

The workshop took place during three days. The first day (Sept. 28) was held at Universidad El Bosque in Bogota where the project was introduced. The overall situation of dengue, diarrhea and water in Colombia and previous health and environmental projects conducted in the three municipalities were presented. During the second day (Sept 29) we went for a field trip to La Mesa, Anapoima and Apulo. The third day (Sept 30), back in Bogotá, different project aspects were discussed by the researchers.

Objectives and outputs of workshop The objectives of the workshop were to present and review conceptual framework, hypotheses, objectives, outputs, strategies, activities, time schedule, and budget of the project; update on recent developments in the fields of dengue fever/mosquitoes and water management and water-related diseases (diarrhea); strengthen collaboration and improve interpersonal relationships between partners; plan and delegate responsibilities of partners. The expected outputs were to prepare a plan of activities for the project period 2010-2011; selection of rural schools in the municipalities and agreements on the study design, which interventions implement, the project time schedule, responsibilities of partners and final internal budget and financial issues.

Bogota workshop Foto: Hans Overgaard

Field trip to La Mesa, Anapoima and Apulo municipalities The three municipalities of the project: La Mesa, Anapoima, and Apulo were visited. These municipalities are located about 2½ hours by bus from Bogotá. It was interesting for the international visitors to travel from Bogotá, located at 2600 m above sea level and having a rather cold and rainy climate, to the municipalities which are about 500-600 masl. From Bogotá we first had to climb to 3000 m and then down, down, and down passing through alpine vegetation, down to temperate rain forest vegetation with ancient tree ferns, and then finally to a hot tropical climate. The scenery was fantastic. The meeting place during the morning was a beautiful country club called “Mesa de Yeguas” Anapoima Country Club. During this meeting the project was introduced to the mayors, health and education staff of the three municipalities, staff of the country club and the Lazos de Calandaima Foundation. Visitors were presented the dengue and diarrhea management activities of each municipality.

During the afternoon, two schools were visited. In the first school, in Apulo, we observed the health related interventions that are being carried out by pupils and teachers on water and sanitation, installment of water filters, hydrosanitary improvements, school vegetable crop gardens, and organic fertilizer production (compost). In the second school, in Anapoima, educational interventions on dengue are being carried out. The idea of our project is to engage school children in the control of dengue and diarrheal disease with the aim that they can serve as mediators of health messages to their households and the community as a whole.

Region view Foto: Hans Overgaard

Publisert: 21.10.10
Oppdatert: 22.10.10
Utskriftsvennlig versjon

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