Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Such progress is particularly evident within the developing nations of Africa, Asia
and Latin America. Although these inter-disciplinary technologies have applica-
bility to a wide array of sectors, the primary focus of this review will be the
extent to which space-based technologies have contributed thus far to the public
health and disaster management sectors. In this context, the range of “Public Health
and Disaster Management” related applications of orbiting sensors encompasses
environmental risk assessment, chronic disease mapping, infectious disease vector
habitat identification and monitoring (Rejmankova et al.
1995
), early warning for
famine (Verdin et al.
2005
), for specific disease outbreaks (Cuevas et al.
2007
), as
well as determining populations' vulnerability to biogenic and anthropogenic disas-
ters, thereby facilitating both emergency response and subsequent post-catastrophe
recovery (Rochon et al.
2008
).
The application of remote sensing, in combination with in situ measurements and
epidemiological data, to Environmental Health, particularly within the industrial-
ized countries, has concentrated on monitoring the impact of atmospheric pollution
and particulates on respiratory ailments, the downstream impact of urban effluent
(e.g. residue from auto emissions, road salts, sewage, industrial hazardous wastes)
and agricultural runoff (e.g. pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, fecal material from
confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs)) on drinking water quality and subse-
quent acute and chronic morbidity, as well as the increased vulnerability to stomach,
duodenal, esophageal and lung cancers, associated with proximity to petro-chemical
facilities or other sources of industrial emissions.
Within the developing countries, there has been a greater emphasis on deploy-
ing remote sensing for food security issues, including famine early warning and
monitoring the desert locust,
Schistocerca gregaria,
as well as identification and
mitigation of infectious disease vector habitat. Even in this instance, environmen-
tal considerations are becoming more prominent, specifically the quest for more
sustainable means for disease vector population reduction. Broad spectrum pesti-
cides not only wreak havoc on entire ecosystems; but also impact benign species,
such as the honey bee (
Apis mellifera
). With the increase in industrialization with-
out concomitant environmental protections in megacities within the developing
countries (e.g. Cairo, Egypt; Shanghai, China; Mexico City, Mexico; Sao Paolo,
Brazil; Mumbai, India, etc.), the same air quality and water quality issues that began
plaguing Europe and the United States prior to environmental safeguards are now
manifested in urban centers in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
As recent catastrophic earthquake events in Port au Prince, Haiti have demon-
strated, poverty significantly increases vulnerability to natural disasters, to food
insecurity, to infectious diseases and to the ability to recover during the aftermath of
a major calamity. As the response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana
also demonstrated, enclaves of poverty in the highly industrialized countries also
inhibit timely response to evacuation orders, even when early warning systems
are supposedly in place. It is ironic that the first satellite data available depicting
the flooding of New Orleans consequent to Hurricane Katrina was captured by
NigeriaSat 1. The recent proliferation of earth observing satellites by developing
countries is a harbinger of a growing awareness that space-based technologies are
