Many countries do have national health and climate change plans in place but their implementation is impeded by several factors
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has left many countries unable to protect the health of their citizens from the impact of climate change. This is according to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) at the ongoing 26th Conference of Parties (CoP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow.
Half of the countries surveyed as part of the report (52 per cent) stated that the pandemic has had a significant impact on their work to protect health from climate change, as they had to divert health personnel and resources.
Some 49 of the 95 respondent countries (52 per cent) have a national health and climate change plan or strategy in place. Another 25 per cent of countries (24 out of 95) have a plan or strategy under development.
However, implementation is impeded by insufficient financing, human resource constraints and limited research, evidence, technologies and tools, the survey said.
The 2021 WHO Health and Climate Change Global Survey Report is based on a triennial, voluntary survey sent to all 194 WHO member states and a small number of non-member territories.
It is compiled by ministries of health in consultation with other health stakeholders, ministries and institutions. In the 2021 survey, 23 of the 95 respondent countries were from the WHO African region.
The 2021 WHO Health and Climate Change Global Survey Report is an update to the 2017/2018 survey and was published November 8, 2021.
Some 85 per cent of countries have a designated focal point responsible for health and climate change in their ministries of health, according to the report.
The ministry of health in 54 per cent of countries has established a stakeholder mechanism (such as a task force or committee) on health and climate change, the survey found.
Countries also have significantly increased health considerations in their nationally determined contributions (NDC).
The inclusion of health considerations in NDCs is important to identify the health impacts of climate change, outline health adaptation and resilience priorities.
The ministry of health contributed to the development of the country’s NDC in 43 per cent of countries (39 out of 90).
The global survey report noted:
Health and climate change focal points can work within the health sector and between sectors to provide coordination and expertise on policy, programmes and practices related to health and climate change.
About 47 African countries had, in 2011, recognised the health impacts of climate change and adopted a framework to link it to public health.
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