On March 21, 2023, we were invited to a conference titled “One Health: connecting human, animal, and environmental health”. Organised by USAID, the event brought together researchers, practitioners, and community organisations working in an integrative way on the interconnectedness of the human, animal and environmental spheres.

A broad range of topics and original approaches were discussed, from antimicrobial resistance to the boosting of nurses’ training, including Trypanosoma infections, Leishmania parasites, and challenges of sewage treatment in Palestine.

As a team working on and with the electronic waste sector for many years, we were honoured to share our results reflections on its economic, human and environmental health dimensions.

Sara Awawdi, explained how Tatweer Wa Nahda is located at the center of the “One Health nexus”, supporting the documentation of environmental impacts (mapping e-waste burn sites, sampling rooftop dust, identifying contamination pathways), promoting healthy communities (awareness raising, information campaigns, health support), and leading numerous activities to improve the livelihoods of women and men (olive tree planting, tire recycling, capacity building).

Dr. Ismail Sweity and Dr. Nelly Leblond gave a talk titled “Assessing and reducing environmental health risks to children within a continually contaminated landscape”, collectively prepared with Prof. Yaakov Garb, and building on his long-term work in the West Line, Dr. Ismail’s expertise as a paediatrician, and Dr. Leblond’s mapping of heavy metal dispersal.

The presentation included the rationale and basis for a health survey to be launched soon by Prof. Garb and Tatweer Wa Nahda in the West Line, Hebron Governorate. If you are interested by our work, key insights have also been pre-recorded by Dr. Ismail Sweity in a 10 min video titled “Electronic Waste and Human Health in the West Line“, filmed and subtitled by Abdallah Sweity:

The event also included a very stimulating discussion session led by Dr. Luz M. Cumba Garcia, reflecting across the presentations and the needs for interconnections and exchanges. Furthermore, discussion groups brought together participants to focus on specific topics such as waste (electronic waste, waste water, domestic waste).

We are grateful to USAID and their amazing team for making this event possible and giving us the opportunity to discover fascinating researches and colleagues.

If you want to follow up on discussions or explore possibilities for joint work, get in touch with us.