October 2, 2006 Source: :
http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=4261 Workshop examines impact of
ecosystem degradation on human
health by Lori Dillon,
Research Communications
October 02, 2006 Every year, unsafe water, coupled with a lack of basic sanitation, kills at
least 1.6 million children under the age of five years. That's more than
eight times the number of all people who died in the 2004 Asian tsunami, and
it's happening every year. The health of human societies is very closely linked to the provision of
safe drinking water and sanitation. In many developing countries, a large
proportion of the disease burden is directly linked to water-borne pathogens
and contaminants. So, if we can protect our ecosystems that supply water, we all should enjoy
better health, right? That's the topic of a lecture and discussion being
held on Wednesday, Oct. 4 in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and
Discovery from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. It's the first United Nations University - International Network on Water,
Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) and McMaster University joint workshop
focusing on water. It's free and open to the public. Titled How Ecosystems Impact Human Health, keynote speaker, Professor
Ulisses Confalonieri from the National School of Public Health in Brazil and
former vice-president (Latin America) International Society of Doctors for
the Environment, will look at the major consequences of ecosystem
degradation for human health. Workshop co-organizer and recently appointed director of UNU-INWEH, Dr.
Zafar Adeel, says the UNU has an extensive network of institutions and
individuals in developing countries. "We're strategically increasing our emphasis on improving health in
developing countries through safer and more reliable water provision, and
there are obvious opportunities to collaborate with McMaster, particularly
through its Collaborations for Health initiative." Allison Sekuler, associate vice-president of research, couldn't agree more. "This is the kind of partnership we need encourage. McMaster contributes
significantly to the research in this area, and when you couple that with
the UNU's expertise and their access to the global research community, the
result is a group with unique global strength. It's a great forum to bring
people with an interest in water together to discuss the realities of the
situation." Confalonieri's keynote address will be followed by an overview of McMaster's
Collaborations for Health Initiative and then a panel discussion. The panel
is comprised of Hans van Ginkel, director of the UNU; Ulisses Confalonieri;
Susan Elliott, dean of social sciences; Mark Sproule-Jones, professor of
political science; Zafar Adeel; and moderated by Allison Sekuler.
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