Hazards, risks and vulnerabilities

Cotopaxi active volcano, Ecuador.

1Malaria, sleeping sickness and, more recently, AIDS, Ebola, chikungunya, etc.: the diseases that ravage the countries of the Global South are the focus of IRD’s research. The idea is to understand, prevent and control tropical diseases based on the results of research, but also to assess their environmental, social and human determinants and translate the scientific knowledge gained into operational terms for the populations. Societies of the Global South are also particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. Many IRD programmes are dedicated to these disasters, as well as to the various forms of pollution of anthropogenic or natural origin. All this research leads to concrete improvements in the health, safety and well-being of the populations of the Global South.