We are part of the Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health, which the IDRC is promoting in Latin America and the Caribbean. We collaborate with the Mexico region through our investigations into vector-borne diseases and the elimination of the use of toxic substances in battling these diseases. The Centre of excellence and coordination for the Mexican Node is the National Institute of Public Health INSP - Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, in Cuernavaca, Morelos.

Vector-Borne Diseases

Malaria

Dr. Mario-Henry Rodríguez and his group have more than twenty years of experience in malaria research. The group has carried out basic research including the biological characterization of the malarial parasite, the ecological determinants of the larval vector, human-vector contact, and socio-cultural factors influencing transmission, as well as monitoring projects, such as the optimization of detection using an in situ diagnostic and the incorporation of data into a geographic information system to facilitate epidemiologic screening. The knowledge gained from this work has contributed to the development of new strategies used by the Mexican Ministry of Health's Programme for the Control of Malaria which ahs attained a historic reduction in malaria without the use of DDT and with community participation. The Pan American Health Organization is supporting the dissemination of this strategy throughout Central America.

Chagas Disease

The group of experts currently responsible for research on Chagas disease at the INSP have a background in parasitic molecular and cellular biology, the dynamics of the transmission of diseases brought about by Trypanosoma cruzi, as well as in prevention and control. They have been asked to consult on projects spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and international collaboration. The ecosystem approach has re-enforced applied research through the construction of links between the communities and decision makers in projects of prevention and control financed by the federal, state and local governments as well as the INSP and IDRC in Oaxaca, Morelos and, currently, Chiapas, regions endemic to Chagas disease.

Water and Dengue

Enrique Cifuentes has worked on health matters directly and indirectly related to water. Dengue is a prototypical example with which to work in the elaboration of an ecosystem approach to water related diseases and socioculturally determined practices which facilitate the proliferation of mosquitoes.

Our brief experience working on this theme began in Cuba, in 2003, followed by work on the Texas-Mexico boarder (2004) and more recently in the plumbing ( canera ) region of Morelos State ( Mexico ). Currently, we are collaborating on a project being carried out by Master's students from Machala University on the boarder between Ecuador and Peru.

In Morelos State, we are cultivating a collaborative approach integrating the Centre for infectious disease research (CISEI-INSP), the program for the control of vectors, and the health and education services to develop educational interventions and community trials (see Environmental pediatric unit (Spanish only).

The group of researchers, decision makers and communities that make up the Community of Practice have acquired a new perspective through the inclusion of the Ecosystem Approaches. The Mexican Centre of Excellence, situated at the INSP, proposes to transfer these concepts and tools as well as to share our experiences with other researchers, decision makers, NGOs and communities in Mexico in order to strengthen the Community and through this network attain our ultimate goal, that of eliminating toxic substances in the environment.

Elimination of Toxic substances

The personnel at the INSP have been working in environmental epidemiology and contaminants since 2001 specifically looking at manganese in the Molango Valley, Hidalgo. This project uses the ecosystem approach in order to integrate a holistic perspective. The results from this work will serve as a basis to develop, with the participation of the communities and governmental agencies, management strategies aimed at reducing the exposure of local people to this metal.

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