By Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia
New Delhi, June 07, 2020: Biodiverse and well-functioning ecosystems sustain and enhance human health. All people require access to clean air, fresh water and nutritional security to prevent disease and promote health, and to pursue sustainable livelihoods. Biodiverse ecosystems provide critical protection against hazards such as flooding and cyclones, and help mitigate climate change, which between 2030 and 2050 is expected to cause an additional 250 000 deaths annually. Human pressures on the environment continue to undermine the many resources and services it provides, and also increase the risk of emerging infectious diseases in humans, over 60% of which originate from animals. Across the WHO South-East Asia Region, the health sector must continue to strengthen services to meet the impact of climate change and other environmental hazards, and promote a healthier, greener tomorrow.
On all counts, the Region has in recent years made important progress. In 2017 Member States adopted the Malé Declaration on Building health systems resilience to climate change. Among other priorities, the Declaration recognizes the need for countries to strengthen health system capacity and efficiency in responding to and reducing vulnerabilities, and to increase resilience to climate change and extreme weather events. In 2019 the Region endorsed a Plan of Action that provides a critical roadmap for countries to implement the WHO Global Strategy on Health, Environment and Climate Change, which the World Health Assembly adopted the previous year. Region-wide, Member States continue to roll out national action plans on climate change and health, for which they are training health workers to better manage environment-related health issues, integrating weather data into climate-sensitive disease programmes, and building green and healthy hospitals among other initiatives. In several countries, the health sector is at the fore of multisectoral efforts to address pressing environmental health issues, including air pollution.
As we mark World Environment Day, WHO reiterates its commitment to supporting Member States in the Region to achieve the Malé Declaration and the Plan of Action to implement the Global Strategy on Health, Environment and Climate Change. Both outcomes will be especially important as the Region continues its battle against COVID-19, the recovery from which will require countries to strengthen health and emergency preparedness systems, including environmental protections. Notably, the crisis demonstrates that when public decision-making is transparent, evidence-based and inclusive, people are likely to support policies that prioritize the protection of health and livelihoods. For a healthier, greener and more sustainable tomorrow, continued health sector action and advocacy is needed, with a focus on several priority areas.
First, carrying out extensive research to understand the local impacts of climate change and to establish data for evidence-based decision making. By better understanding the local health impacts of climate change, policy-makers will have greater capacity to prevent and treat such issues, and to inform wider policy discussions. They can also monitor the success or otherwise of interventions and recalibrate them as and if required. WHO will continue to support Member States to learn from each other’s successes and ensure all countries can adapt and implement best practices from across the Region.
Second, integrating climate risks into emergency preparedness and management programmes. All countries can ensure present and anticipated health risks are included in climate risk management and disaster risk reduction plans, and also strengthen partnerships between key stakeholders, including NGOs and the private sector. Countries can also enhance the capacity of health systems to manage short- and long-term climate-related risks, with a specific focus on extreme weather events, for which key facilities must be made climate resilient.
Third, identifying and allocating resources and mobilizing funds. Present investments in health system adaptations are insufficient to meet emerging challenges. This is especially the case in the Region’s low-income countries, which are also the most vulnerable to climate change and its impact on health. To help source the required funding, all countries can leverage the Green Climate Fund, for which WHO is now a Readiness Delivery Partner, and can therefore support Member State access to readiness funds, resources and support.
The Region’s continued action and advocacy will prove critical to mitigating the health impact of climate change and other environmental risks, and to helping the Region and the world address the many contributing factors. On World Environment Day and beyond, WHO will continue to support Member States in the Region to achieve the Malé Declaration and to fully implement the Plan of Action to support the Global Strategy on Health, Environment and Climate Change. Together we can build a healthier, greener and more sustainable future. For nature and for ourselves, we must act.
Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)
