Founding Conservation Through Public Health
In 1996, the first scabies outbreak in the gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, resulted in the death of an infant gorilla and the rest of the gorilla group only recovered with Ivermectin treatment.
The fatal disease was traced back to the local communities living around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A few years later in 2001 and 2002, another scabies outbreak occurred, and fortunately there were no deaths because the gorillas were treated soon enough. At the time Mountain Gorillas were critically endangered with only 650 remaining in the wild. Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka asked herself how their extinction could be prevented. What resulted was the founding of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) with other concerned Ugandans in 2003.
CTPH is a non-profit, non-governmental organization with an innovative methodology that focuses on the interdependence of wildlife and human health in and around Africa’s protected areas. CTPH has three integrated strategic programs: Wildlife Conservation, Community Health and Alternative Livelihoods. Improving rural public health and reducing poverty is contributing to greater biodiversity conservation and sustainable development outcomes as well as climate action in and around Africa’s protected areas. To learn more about our award-winning NGO and non-profit, visit www.ctph.org
