The prior objective of this case study, when research started early 2014, was the impact of the floods on human and animal health, but after several participatory epidemiology sessions with local authorities and residents in Ayutthaya province, it appears that for them the main health issues were linked to poor waste and water management at municipality and provincial level. Therefore the objective has been changed into: how to improve water/waste management at municipality level with more benefits for people wellbeing (health, environment, livelihood)?
Following the identification of the issues and sub-objectives, we identified that the problem was principally linked to the poor management of waste and water waste from industrials, farmers and villagers, leading to a bad water quality (bad smell, taste sour, yellow color, salty, no oxygen), increase of mosquitoes and contamination risks threatening health. Improving waste’s management raises some questions: ‘who will take the responsiblities?’ and ‘How to overcome coordination gaps between activitiy sectors such as public health, industry, irrigation, natural resources managmetn etc.?’. To try to bring some solutions, a participatory One health modeling process has been implemented to design a shared representation of the dynamics at play and to discuss responsabilities while contextualizing properly the problems from municipality to provincial level.
The participatory One health modeling process is ongoing. A role playing game is under development and will be implemented in 2016.The next steps will be: verifying/revising the issue and stakes at play for residents and authorities, integrating associations and stakeholders dealing with climate change adaptation in the process, finalising the coconstruction of shared representation of the problem among stakeholders and designing a strategic action plan, upscale communication actions towards national stakeholders and policy makers.
For more information about this case study, check the website page: Water and Health management
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