ENT-50302 Analysis and Prevention of Health Risks in the Tropics

Course

Credits 2.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Practical intensively supervised10
Tutorial10
Self-study
Course coordinator(s)prof. dr. ir. W Takken
Lecturer(s)prof. dr. ir. W Takken (W.M. Docters van Leeuwen)
Examiner(s)prof. dr. ir. W Takken

Continuation courses:

MSc internship in the tropics / MSc thesis in the tropics

Contents:

This short course on tropical health is meant for students planning a prolonged stay in a tropical country as part of their study.
The health environment in tropical countries differs greatly from what is experienced in the developed world especially by the widespread occurrence of serious infectious diseases. Underdevelopment, poverty and climate are the main reasons for this. Besides this overall situation, environmental change, planned or unplanned, can have grave consequences for the intensity of transmission of vector-borne diseases as malaria, dengue and schistosomiasis. Poor health care and rising incidence of drug resistance are causing additional risks. To improve this situation, the millennium report of the United Nations aims for a significant reduction of disease by the year 2015. Much of this should be achieved by sustainable development, looking for inexpensive, locally adapted, public health measures that should reduce the incidence and prevalence of disease.

Aims:

1. to enable students to analyse the possible health risks they will encounter during a prolonged stay in the tropics and take adequate preventive measures to ensure their good health;
2. Creating awareness of the possible health impacts of development programmes and be able to formulate the terms of reference for a "Health Impact Study " related to these programmes.

Activities:

1) practical work under supervision of a lecturer; 2) oral discussion and presentations; 3) self study

Examination:

Short interactive ICT examination, oral presentation of tasks and written project report.

Literature:

Reader "Analysis and prevention of Health Risks in the Tropics" (to be purchased by the student)