Pastoral Health and Climate Change in Drylands

This project investigates the causes, consequences, and drivers of climate-influenced diseases among pastoral populations in southern Kenya's drylands, focusing on Anthrax, Typhoid Fever, and Giardia. These diseases are strongly linked to environmental factors and are anticipated to increase in prevalence and severity due to climate change-induced shifts in seasonality and extreme weather events. Pastoralists, who depend on livestock and often share water resources with wildlife, face unique health challenges compounded by inadequate access to reliable healthcare. This interdisciplinary research aims to assess the prevalence, extent, and magnitude of these diseases, understand indigenous knowledge regarding their transmission, and identify specific drivers influenced by climatic variability. The study will involve assembling a team of researchers and students from Aga Khan University, Kenyatta University, and the University of Michigan, training them in field data collection methods, and conducting stratified random sampling of health facilities in Narok County. Additionally, gendered key informant interviews will be held with Maasai community elders to gain insights into local disease dynamics. The findings will help develop a comprehensive hypothesis for a full-scale NIH proposal, aiming to address global health inequities and improve healthcare strategies for marginalized dryland populations. This project will offer a proof of concept for understanding and mitigating climate-influenced health risks in vulnerable communities, ultimately contributing to more effective and contextually nuanced public health interventions.