Medea project is co-funded by the European Union's LIFE programme under grant agreement LIFE16 CCA/CY/000041. The MEDEA partnership brings together an interdisciplinary consortium of eight partners (University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology, University of Crete, Soroka Clinical and Research Center, E.n.A Consulting LP, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, Cyprus Meteorological Service and
Department of Labor Inspection of Cyprus) from Cyprus, Greece and Israel.
“MEDEA” is envisioned to provide the field-based evidence for the adoption of a strategic plan for mitigating the health effects of desert dust storm (DDS) events in South-Eastern Europe. MEDEA ultimate goal is to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of an adaptation strategy to DDS and better inform EU policy making. Toward this goal, in three of the most highly DDS-exposed Mediterranean regions Cyprus, Crete, and Israel we will accomplish the following specific objectives:
1. Provide evidence for the development of a strategic plan for mitigation of health effects of DDS events through exposure reduction.
2. Design easy to implement and sustainable exposure-reduction recommendations to follow during DDS.
3. Demonstrate which of the recommendations are effective in reducing exposures to DDS and related adverse health effects in panels of adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) and children with asthma.
4. Demonstrate the feasibility of applying models for early forecasting of DDS events and timely notification of the public, targeting susceptible individuals.
5. Transfer efficiently the results to competent authorities, scientific community, social stakeholders and citizens in Cyprus, Crete, and Israel and network with target bodies in other DDS-exposed regions in South-Eastern Europe.
