The WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking on the alarming environmental issue of climate change, stated that climate crisis is a health crisis which is bringing death and destruction to the world.
To tackle the crisis, WHO, along with the United Kingdom government, has launched a new health & a climate change platform to support world states in their efforts to implement commitments they made at last year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) to achieve a resilient and low carbon, sustainable health systems.
Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, highlighting the issue asserted, “This new alliance intends to sustain the momentum as well as advance action on the climate change & health at country level, in order to assist countries in bridging the gap between commitments and implementation as a first priority. Resilient healthcare systems are very crucial for the successful adaptation to the climate change in any scenario while also playing an important role in low-carbon sustainable development & greening supply chains. The health sector is ready to lead by an instance”.
Upholding progress and ambition on resilient and low carbon health systems, including their supply chains, will be the prime focus of the WHO-UK government alliance. It will also help the countries in achieving the goals of the COP26 Health Programme.
“WHO will act as secretariat to the alliance. A steering group, built up of representatives from each of the working groups & the co-conveners, will support our organisation in defining the strategic direction of the alliance and build synergies among the working groups while promoting a dynamic response to emerging priorities, opportunities as well as challenges”, the official website of the international health agency cited.
Meanwhile, Dr Tedros then added that about 5% of global carbon emissions, the health sector is a contributor to Climate Change. We must walk the talk by building more climate-resilient and climate-friendly health systems. WHO is no exception. We have committed to being carbon-neutral by 2030.