The World Health Organization (WHO) has done this Wednesday, within the framework of the World Health Assemblywhich is taking place in Geneva (Switzerland), an “urgent appeal” to take action against climate change.
“The most pressing reasons for urgent climate action are not the impacts in the future, but right now, on health. The climate crisis is a health crisis, fueling outbreaks, contributing to rising rates of non-communicable diseases and threatening to overwhelm our health workforce and health infrastructures,” warned WHO Director General THedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In his speech, he has detailed the measures that should be taken, such as reducing carbon emissions; create “better, more climate resilient and environmentally sustainable” health systems; and “protect health from the wide range of impacts of climate change”.
“We need renewable energy in health facilities; dedicated funding for the health sector for climate resilience; and greater use of reliable, cheap and ecological electricity”, has wielded doctor Tedros.
In this regard, the WHO has warned that climate change is “increasing noncommunicable diseases and facilitating the emergence and spread of infectious diseases.” “In addition, it is affecting our health workforce and our infrastructure, while reducing the ability to reach the Universal Health Coverage“, have added.
According to the international health body, a “further delay” in climate action “will significantly increase the risks to our health, undermine decades of improvements in global health, and contravene our collective commitments to guarantee the human right to health for all.”
In this sense, the director of the Department of Public Health and the Environment of the WHO, the Spanish María Neira, has pointed to three challenges that the health community must face in climate matters. The first, and “most important”, is to “address the various health implications of the climate change crisis, emphasizing the need to safeguard human well-being”.
The second challenge revolves around building “resilient” healthcare systems that “can effectively navigate the complexities of the 21st century, ensuring optimal healthcare delivery in a constantly evolving landscape”.
Finally, Neira has highlighted the “health benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon society, illustrating the critical interplay between environmental sustainability and human well-being.”
“These three great challenges urge the health community to mobilize and undertake transformative actions to safeguard public health and guarantee a sustainable future for generations to come”, he pointed out.
For his part, John Kerry, United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change, has thanked the WHO for raising the alarm about the climate crisis and has warned the international community about its repercussions: “There is no polite way of saying it, the climate crisis is killing people.”
Finally, COP28 Director General Adnan Z. Amin has announced that a ‘Health Day’ will be included in this year’s conference, which will include a meeting of Health and Climate Ministers.
(With information from Europa Press)
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Source-www.infobae.com