Analyzing relationship for forest degradation and infectious disease outbreaks

Abstract

The rise of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) recently has increased the burden of diseases outbreaks and impacted negatively the global economy. “Approximately 60% of emerging human diseases are caused by pathogenic parasites of animal origin (zoonoses), particularly wildlife” (WHO). For the rise of Pathogens many factors re blamed, but forest degradation – loss of habitat and closer habitation of species is identified as a major and predominant factor for the recent outbreaks of diseases like Zika, Ebola, Avian infections, Nipah, Malaria and Hendra. Therefore, Public health systems must be resilient and prepared to face future and existing disease threats at the human-animal-environment interface. The research methodology focuses on trying to understand the relationship of forest land use Land cover change, climate change and human animal conflicts in the context with the incidents of disease outbreaks through statistical and spatial data analysis. The thesis is an attempt to understand the direct and indirect impact of forest degradation on infectious disease outbreaks in a specific context of Wayanad district in Kerala. The study tries to understand the institutional gaps as well identifying the vulnerable tribal group dependent upon forest. With focus on land use zoning in regional planning of Wayanad and conducted a perception study related to the issue with different stakeholders at decision making level and vulnerable level. Thus, the overall research is an attempt to understand the linkages and probability of different factors of forest degradation causing threat to infectious diseases outbreaks in the context of Wayanad. The recommendations and proposals are thus developed based on the inferences and outcome of every objective. These recommendations are then linked to higher level objectives like sustainable development goals. An attempt to propose Multisectoral Framework model for health resilience was adopted as a strategy.