Conservation Through Public Health
A Uganda-based nonprofit that links wildlife conservation with public health, community development, and disease prevention.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) is a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of wildlife conservation, human health, livestock health, and community development. Founded in Uganda in 2003 by Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Lawrence Zikusoka, and Stephen Rubanga, the organization developed around the idea that protecting endangered wildlife requires improving the health and livelihoods of people living near protected areas. Its work has placed particular emphasis on the endangered mountain gorilla and on communities surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. CTPH's stated mission is to enable people, wildlife, and livestock to coexist by strengthening primary healthcare around Africa's protected areas. The organization treats conservation and public health as interconnected rather than separate fields. Human illnesses can move into wildlife populations, livestock diseases can affect both communities and wild animals, and limited access to healthcare can increase dependence on natural resources. By addressing these risks together, CTPH seeks to reduce disease transmission while creating conditions in which local residents can participate in and benefit from conservation. Its principal program areas include wildlife health monitoring, community health and family planning, and information, education, and communication. Wildlife-health activities have included monitoring mountain gorillas for infections associated with human diseases and considering appropriate veterinary or medical responses. Community-health programs seek to improve access to primary care and voluntary family-planning services in settlements near gorilla habitat. The organization also uses information and communications technology, education, and local communication systems to support development and environmental awareness in remote communities. CTPH's work is centered in Uganda but has included cooperative activity linked to protected areas and wildlife landscapes extending into the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. The organization has been featured or discussed by outlets and institutions including PBS Frontline, USAID, and the Woodrow Wilson Center. Its reported recognition includes finalist status in the 2006 Stockholm Challenge, a 2007 World Summit Award for digital inclusion in Bwindi communities, and a 2007 Skal Foundation Kampala Chapter award for promoting conservation activities in Uganda. In 2020, CTPH received a $100,000 St Andrews Prize for the Environment award. The organization is led by co-founder Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, who serves as chief executive officer. Lawrence Zikusoka has been identified as co-founder and director of information, communication, and technology, while Stephen Rubanga is a co-founder and chief veterinary technician. CTPH is best understood as a mission-driven conservation and public-health organization rather than a conventional consumer brand: its recognizable identity comes from its integrated gorilla-conservation, health, family-planning, and community-development model.
History
Conservation Through Public Health was established in Uganda in 2003 by Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Lawrence Zikusoka, and Stephen Rubanga. The founders created the organization around a practical conservation premise: endangered wildlife cannot be protected in isolation from the people and domestic animals sharing the surrounding landscape. In areas adjoining protected parks, communities may face limited access to healthcare, livestock may carry infectious diseases, and close contact between people and wildlife can create health risks for all three groups. The organization developed a particular focus on mountain gorillas, whose small populations and close genetic relationship to humans make them vulnerable to certain human pathogens. CTPH's work around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has therefore combined wildlife-health monitoring with services and education for neighboring communities. Its program model includes tracking possible infections in gorillas, supporting responses to wildlife-health concerns, improving local primary healthcare, and promoting voluntary family planning. These activities are intended both to benefit residents and to reduce pressures that could increase disease transmission or undermine conservation. CTPH has also worked around Queen Elizabeth National Park and has cooperated on conservation and wildlife-health issues involving protected areas and wildlife landscapes connected to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. In addition to field health activities, it has used information, education, and communications projects to reach remote communities. These initiatives have included environmental education and information and communications technology intended to support local development and improve awareness of conservation issues. The organization's integrated approach has attracted attention from international media and development institutions. Its work has been reported by PBS Frontline, referenced by USAID, and presented at the Woodrow Wilson Center. CTPH was listed as a finalist for the 2006 Stockholm Challenge. In 2007, its digital-inclusion work in Bwindi communities received a World Summit Award, and the Skal Foundation Kampala Chapter recognized its contribution to conservation activities in Uganda. In 2020, the organization received a $100,000 St Andrews Prize for the Environment award. Leadership has remained closely associated with the founding team. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka serves as co-founder and chief executive officer. Lawrence Zikusoka is identified as co-founder and director of information, communication, and technology, while Stephen Rubanga is identified as co-founder and chief veterinary technician. Together, the leadership structure reflects CTPH's combination of veterinary, public-health, communications, and conservation expertise. CTPH's historical significance lies in its effort to institutionalize a One Health approach in African conservation settings. Rather than treating public health as a secondary social benefit of wildlife protection, the organization makes community health and conservation mutually reinforcing objectives. Its work has consequently combined wildlife surveillance, primary healthcare, family planning, livestock-health concerns, education, and digital communication. The available reference material does not establish a complete account of later programs, funding, staffing changes, or current geographic operations, so those aspects require further verification from the organization's current publications.
- 2020
St Andrews Prize for the Environment award
[1]CTPH received a $100,000 St Andrews Prize for the Environment award.
- 2007
World Summit Award for digital inclusion
[1]The organization's digital-inclusion work in Bwindi communities was recognized with a World Summit Award.
- 2007
Skal Foundation Kampala recognition
[1]The Skal Foundation Kampala Chapter recognized CTPH for promoting conservation activities in Uganda.
- 2006
Stockholm Challenge finalist
[1]CTPH was recognized as a finalist in the Stockholm Challenge for its work linking technology, communities, health, and conservation.
- 2003
Organization founded
[1]Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Lawrence Zikusoka, and Stephen Rubanga founded Conservation Through Public Health in Uganda.
Products and positioning
CTPH positions itself as a One Health conservation organization, connecting the health of people, livestock, and wildlife. Its distinctive approach is to reduce threats to endangered species by improving healthcare, disease prevention, education, and community participation around protected areas.
Conservation and veterinary health
Wildlife health monitoring
CTPH monitors wildlife health, with a special emphasis on mountain gorillas. The work includes watching for infections associated with human diseases and supporting assessment of possible treatment or other responses. It forms the conservation side of the organization's One Health model.
Public health
Community primary healthcare
The organization works to improve primary healthcare for communities living near wildlife habitat. Better access to care is intended to improve local well-being while reducing health conditions and behaviors that can increase disease risks for endangered wildlife.
Reproductive health
Family-planning services and education
CTPH promotes local access to voluntary family-planning information and services in communities near gorilla habitat. The program is presented as both a community-health intervention and part of a broader strategy to reduce pressure on protected ecosystems.
Environmental education and digital inclusion
Information, education, and communication programs
CTPH uses education, communication activities, and information and communications technology to reach remote communities. These efforts support local development and environmental awareness, including digital-inclusion work reported in Bwindi communities.
Recent events
- 2020
CTPH receives St Andrews Prize for the Environment award[1]
Other
The organization received a $100,000 award from the St Andrews Prize for the Environment in recognition of its integrated conservation and public-health work.
- 2007
Digital inclusion project receives World Summit Award[1]
Other
CTPH's digital-inclusion work in Bwindi communities was reported as a winner of a World Summit Award.
- 2006
CTPH recognized in the Stockholm Challenge[1]
Other
The organization was reported as a finalist in the Stockholm Challenge for work involving conservation, health, and community development.
- 2003
Conservation Through Public Health founded in Uganda[1]
Other
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Lawrence Zikusoka, and Stephen Rubanga established CTPH to connect wildlife conservation with human and livestock health.
Sources2 sources
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