Objectives

The overall objective of this project is closer cooperation between European (Belgium, Luxembourg, and Denmark) and African (Morocco, Benin, and Ethiopia) universities by co-building capacities in environmental health for the assessment of environmental exposure in the population.

We will:

1. Map the current knowledge and research in terms of Occupational Health and Human Biomonitoring in Benin, Ethiopia, and Morocco
2. Provide guidance, counselling and coaching for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in environmental health research and aid to set-up national environment and health research groups
3. Set up a sentinel surveillance system for Human Biomonitoring
4. Connect European and African academicians and health professionals specialized in environmental health

BioNet will include international training for researchers and health professionals, forming research groups, upgrading infrastructures for health monitoring, and establishing a surveillance system in Benin, Ethiopia, and Morocco

Ultimately, the BioNet project will enhance the use of participatory approaches and integrated digital methodologies to reinforce the response of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Africa to tackle main challenges related to the impact of the environment on the human health. Moreover, the project will increase continental and Euro-African synergies and links between partner universities and health institutions, with improved use of European reference tools.

Training

Training will target researchers and occupational physicians to set-up national environment and health research groups. E-learning modules will be accessible for people living in remote areas, including modules for digital collection of representative biomonitoring data, as well as analysis of big datasets.

Sentinel surveillance system

A sentinel network will be formed by e.g.  occupational physicians and general practitioners in order to assess human exposure to chemicals, improve health literacy, and improve chemical risk assessment.