CONSERVATION THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH

WILDLIFE HEALTH GOAL 1: INCREASE EARLY DETECTION OF ZOONOTIC DISEASE OUTBREAKS. Results: A comparative viral pathogen profile is available for 44% (200/459) of the current Bwindi Mountain gorilla population and humans in close contact with mountain gorillas, Uganda Wildlife Authority has enhanced their visual and spatial monitoring capacity to protect BINP Activities: With additional support from Tusk Trust, 2,373 gorilla fecal samples have been collected and analyzed at the Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre's (GHCCC) laboratory from January to November 2023. Gorilla fecal samples are collected across all the 5 sectors of BINP monthly using non-invasive methods where fresh fecal samples are taken from individual gorilla night nests and on the trails. All gorilla fecal samples from both known and unknown individuals were analyzed for intestinal helminth parasites and other pathogens at the GHCCC which enables us to create an early warning system for early detection, reporting of and response to threats that might be a risk to the endangered mountain gorillas through local partnerships. Some samples are preserved and sent to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) laboratory to test for other respiratory illnesses including SARS-CoV-2 that causes coronavirus disease. Fecal samples are being collected by CTPH staff, park rangers, and Gorilla Guardians routinely, all of whom have been trained in non-invasive collection and preservation of fecal samples. CTPH working with Uganda Wildlife Authority trained 323 rangers on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases across all gorillas tracking sites of Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area (BMCA) with emphasis on community prevention approaches. CTPH also procured and donated assorted items to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to support efforts of rangers to keep patrols in the park. 15 GPS devices, 10 Blackview smartphones, model BV4900 were acquired with funding from Tusk Trust and 2 mobile toilets with funding from Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust were handed to UWA chief park warden in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Launched in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 with the goal of keeping wildlife rangers employed through the crisis, the Wildlife Ranger Challenge (WRC), organized by Tusk and The Game Rangers Association of Africa, has grown into an annual celebration of solidarity, connection and camaraderie for the ranger profession. CTPH has been coordinating the Wildlife Ranger Challenge in BINP for 4 years now to drive awareness of the importance of the ranger profession, communicate the challenges that rangers face and raise vital funds for frontline conservation efforts and hope the participating rangers have some fun and are able to use the WRC as a platform to improve their fitness and health through the WRC events. Funds raised from the 2022 challenge were used to support rangers in 2023 with equipment mentioned above and food rations including Wheat flour, maize flour, beans, and cooking oil to enable them to continue efficient operations. With additional support from Natiothe nal Geographic Society (NGS) and Tusk Trust, CTPH trained 67 Community Conservation Animal Health Workers (CCAHWS) across Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in basic Veterinary care and animal husbandry of domesticated animals. CCAHWS are community volunteers and part of our One Health model helping to monitor and prevent disease spill overs between livestock, humans, and gorillas.

COMMUNITY HEALTH AND CONSERVATION GOAL 2: IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING GORILLA HABITATS IN UGANDA AND EASTERN DRC. Results: Improved community health, hygiene, sanitation, and economic well-being and increased manageable family sizes, translating into reduced incidences of zoonotic diseases. Through our VHCTs model, approximately 53,600 individuals (51% female, 50% under 18 years of age) have been sensitized every quarter in 10,600 households in 59 frontline villages around BINP on the practical application of integrated health and conservation activities supporting households to easily identify steps to improve their health and wellbeing and reduce their potential for negative impacts on wildlife. There has been a 35% improvement from 22% to 53% of households (model households) in the 'Green' category from the first quarter of 2022 to the last quarter of 2023. The 'Green' category represents households that meet at least 9 out of 12 of the One health key performance indicators. This has helped to significantly improve community health, hygiene, sanitation, and economic well-being and increased manageable family sizes, translating into reduced incidences of zoonotic diseases. Activities: In 2022, CTPH launched a 'Model Household' initiative to support community members to improve and ensure their own health and wellbeing while living alongside gorillas and other wildlife by investing in proper hygiene and sanitation, prioritizing wildlife conservation and reproductive health, practicing sustainable agriculture, and other alternative livelihoods, reducing threats to the mountain gorillas caused by zoonotic diseases, illegal activity and poaching. With additional support from NGS 255 VHCTs were assessed to establish their capacity to meet the model household threshold as role models in the villages they lead. Findings indicate that 100% of the VHCTs have knowledge on zoonotic disease transmission and prevention, 100% have kitchen/food crop gardens for their day today nutrition needs and 100% have knowledge on gorilla and forest conservation. However, 73% had a functional hand washing facility, 61% had boiled safe drinking water, and only 45% of the households were using family planning. CTPH conducted refresher trainings on the Model Household approach with 12 ideal "One Health" indicators for 326 VHCTs. This included the VHCTs recruited to fill the gaps of those who retired. They were trained on key indicators, which were lagging and focused on locations where households presented fewer Model Household indicators. During the training, strategies to improve performance indicators in the model households were laid out clearly. With additional support from WFN and NGS, we have scaled up our VHCT program to two additional parishes of Ngaara and Muramba where 75 additional VHCTs were identified and trained to sensitize communities in key sanitation and conservation practices to meet the 12 key model household practices with emphasis on family planning practices and livelihood support interventions. The total number of parishes engaged by CTPH has increased from 6 to 8 and total number of trained Village Health and Conservation Team members (VHCTs) have increased from 270 to 429 reaching more than 10,000 households. The newly recruited VHCTs have been given group livestock projects to boost their incomes and livelihood. So far, 32 nanny-goats and 2 bucks have been given out to the new VHCT groups. In partnership with Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), CTPH provided family planning supplies to all the VHCTs in the frontline parishes around BINP. A total of 565 doses of pills, 44 boxes of condoms and 381 referral forms were given out. This helped to overcome the family planning supplies crisis in Kanungu district. With additional support from Population Connection and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, CTPH carried out a Family planning refresher training with 261 Village Health and Conservation Team members (VHCTs) from six frontline parishes around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in May 2023. The training focused on possible side effects of various family planning methods and how to manage and follow up on referrals with community health centres. VHCTs were also trained in record keeping and reporting to enable monitoring of family planning supplies utilization.