Protecting people from the health impacts of climate-related risks

Improve resilience of health systems to climate variability and change

X Climate-resilient water safety

As an example, climate-resilient water safety improved for:

- 2.5 million people in Ethiopia using 50 water supply systems, 2020

-280 000 people in Nepal, 2020

-605 000 people in Bangladesh, 2020

-240 000 in urban areas of the United Republic of Tanzania, and 6200 people in rural areas, 2017 

Simple, low-cost interventions, such as building retaining walls or ditches, prevent contamination of drinking-water during flooding; and planting indigenous trees protects the water table in Ethiopia, 2018.

As an example, climate-resilient water safety improved for:

- 2.5 million people in Ethiopia using 50 water supply systems, 2020

-280 000 people in Nepal, 2020

-605 000 people in Bangladesh, 2020

-240 000 in urban areas of the United Republic of Tanzania, and 6200 people in rural areas, 2017 

Simple, low-cost interventions, such as building retaining walls or ditches, prevent contamination of drinking-water during flooding; and planting indigenous trees protects the water table in Ethiopia, 2018.

X Health vulnerability and adaptation assessment

For example, the assessment in:

- Lao People’s Democratic Republic studied the links between climate change and water-related and vector-borne diseases; water, sanitation and hygiene; mental health; malnutrition; injury and disability; and sudden increases in health service use.

- Madagascar highlighted the health impacts of flooding, cyclones, drought, heatwaves and cold spells, 2015


Health national adaptation plans are informed by the assessments and include:

- Timor-Leste plan for health sector adaptation to climate change finalized in wide consultation with partners, 2019

- health national adaptation developed and endorsed in Nepal, 2018

- climate change action plan for public health officially endorsed by the Ministry of Health in Cambodia, 2020

 

For example, the assessment in:

- Lao People’s Democratic Republic studied the links between climate change and water-related and vector-borne diseases; water, sanitation and hygiene; mental health; malnutrition; injury and disability; and sudden increases in health service use.

- Madagascar highlighted the health impacts of flooding, cyclones, drought, heatwaves and cold spells, 2015


Health national adaptation plans are informed by the assessments and include:

- Timor-Leste plan for health sector adaptation to climate change finalized in wide consultation with partners, 2019

- health national adaptation developed and endorsed in Nepal, 2018

- climate change action plan for public health officially endorsed by the Ministry of Health in Cambodia, 2020

 

X Health surveillance and early warning systems

Climate and weather information integrated into health surveillance and early warning systems to predict outbreaks, such as:

- cholera in Bangladesh and Malawi, 2020

- malaria in Mozambique, 2020

- dengue fever in Myanmar and Timor-Leste, 2020

Climate and weather information integrated into health surveillance and early warning systems to predict outbreaks, such as:

- cholera in Bangladesh and Malawi, 2020

- malaria in Mozambique, 2020

- dengue fever in Myanmar and Timor-Leste, 2020

X Health care facilities

Action towards climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health care facilities, for example:

- in 62 health care facilities in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 2020

- assessments conducted in 25 health centres in Cambodia with focus on climate-resilient WASH, 2020

Action towards climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health care facilities, for example:

- in 62 health care facilities in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 2020

- assessments conducted in 25 health centres in Cambodia with focus on climate-resilient WASH, 2020

X Small island developing states

Action to build climate-resilient health systems in small island developing states, includes:

18 country profiles on health and climate change completed to inform evidence-based decision-making when strengthen the resilience of health systems, 2021 

US$ 33-65 m funding mobilized to small island developing states to strengthen the resilience of health systems, health-care facilities, schools and communities to climate change

Action to build climate-resilient health systems in small island developing states, includes:

18 country profiles on health and climate change completed to inform evidence-based decision-making when strengthen the resilience of health systems, 2021 

US$ 33-65 m funding mobilized to small island developing states to strengthen the resilience of health systems, health-care facilities, schools and communities to climate change

2021

 

Quality criteria to support health national adaptation planning published

 

2021

Quality criteria for evaluating climate-informed early warning and response systems for infectious diseases developed

2020

more than 200 people
trained in accessing financing for the health sector

– resulting in 7 Caribbean countries and Argentina securing US$ 1.3 m funding

2020

more than 280 people
trained in climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable health-care facilities

WHO guidance provides a set of interventions to improve climate resilience while decreasing the environmental impact and carbon footprint of health care facilities

2020

12 countries trained in developing and implementing climate-informed health early warning systems


Support provided

to integrate information on climate and weather

into health surveillance and early warning systems to predict outbreaks of climate-sensitive diseases

2019

WHO technical series for

assessing current and future vulnerability to specific health risks

beginning with undernutrition

2019

Global plan of action on climate change and health in small island developing states

2018

Guide and case studies for

developing climate services for health

with the World Meteorological Organization

2017

WHO guidance for water safety

planning to improve the resilience of water supplies

to climate variability and change published

2017

Special initiative on climate change and health  

in small island developing states launched at the

23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

2015

WHO operational framework for

building a climate-resilient health system

published

2014

WHO guidance published for

developing a health national adaptation plan

which is integrated into national climate change adaptation planning

2013

WHO guidance to

assess the health vulnerability and risks

of climate change