« Climate change will increasingly create habitable climates for the transmission of infectious diseases. Mosquitoes, as vectors for arbovirus infections are a threat to public health. Urban infrastructure interventions can be very effective for future proofing cities in the face of climate change. »
Watch our video to discover how IDAlert is testing solutions to tackle the growing health threat linked to infectious diseases and climate change – with Aditi Bunker, Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, and Tomas Montalvo, Head of Urban Pest Surveillance and Control Service, Agència de Salut Publica de Barcelona.
In today’s swiftly changing global landscape, adaptability is crucial for a strong public health system. Being able to quickly adjust strategies, improve interventions, and allocate resources to address emerging health threats is essential.
Evidence-based interventions allows to foster this adaptability. A significant concern is the lack of understanding about the unintended consequences of climate control actions in certain European regions. As cities implement measures like open water defenses and urban green space expansion to adapt to climate change, the potential impact on diseases carried by vectors remains unclear. To untangle this complexity, accurately measuring the effects of interventions through experiments and other methods is crucial.
One of the main objectives in IDAlert is to carry out these interventions in European cities. In collaboration with Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, the local public health agency in Barcelona, the IDAlert research team at Heidelberg University and Universitat Pompeu Fabra is introducing stormproof drains designed to reduce stagnant water bodies, eliminating mosquito breeding grounds.
