About 30 researchers are expected to participate in a five-day data analysis and scientific writing workshop organised by INDEPTH Network with support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, (USA).

The workshop scheduled for May 14th to 18th in Accra on the theme:  Assessing the Impact of Climate Variability on Migration and Mortality Using HDSS Data is being held against the background of health challenges posed by the world’s changing climate in the 21st century. The workshop will therefore provide an opportunity for participants, mainly researchers and scientists from selected INDEPTH member centres to analyse empirical data and come up with findings that could guide policies for addressing the health effects of climate change.

Heat waves, cold spells, dust storms, droughts, and flooding as a result of changes in climate have both direct and indirect impacts on human health.  Protecting health from climate impacts is now a priority for the public health community. In low and middle-income countries (LMICs) where many people are poor and vulnerable and therefore lack the basic economic choices and infrastructure to cope with the sometimes devastating impacts of climate change there is every need to have specific policies on reducing climate change impact.

A key outcome of the workshop is the publication of a supplement in the international open-access online journal – Global Health Action which is widely consulted by policy makers and the scientific community around the world. The supplement will contain general as well as centre-specific papers providing the much needed information to enhance understanding of the effects of climate change and its consequences on mortality and migration among the most vulnerable populations in LMICs.  It is therefore anticipated that national, regional and international policy makers will be guided by the published papers in addressing the effects of climate change.

Data to be analysed during this workshop and eventually for the publication have been gathered from participating INDEPTH Network member health and demographic surveillance systems centres.  These include: Nouna, Nanoro and Sapone HDSSs (Burkina Faso), Vadu HDSS (India), AMK and Matlabs HDSS (Bangladesh), Rufiji, Magu and Ifakara HDSSs (Tanzania), Kisumu and Nairobi HDSS (Kenya) and Navrongo, Dodowa and Kintampo HDSSs (Ghana).

The CLIMIMO study at INDEPTH is a collaborative effort between INDEPTH and UNESCO Ghana that aims to shed light on how climate affects migration and mortality of rural populations. Other collaborators include: Heidelberg University (Germany), LSHTM (UK), Columbia University (USA) and Umea University (Sweden). The workshop is a follow up to an earlier one hosted by Nouna HDSS (Burkina Faso) 6-11 Feb, 2011.