1-5 June 2020, New Delhi: Climate change affects the social and environmental determinants of health – clean air, safe drinking water, food and shelter, infectious diseases. Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress.
WHO India’s Environment and Public Health team in collaboration with the Sphere India COVID-19 Academy convened a series of webinars from 1 to 5 June 2020 to commemorate World Environment Day and bring the focus towards building climate-resilient health systems.
The webinars brought eminent experts to share their insights on environmental aspects in relation to the COVID-19 crisis that drew more than 4000 participants from 30 States and UTs of India. 264 people registered under the category of ‘Person with Disability’ and the sessions were also made inclusive with a live Sign Language Interpreter for each session, supported by Handicap International and their partner Enable India.
The series of five webinars focused on Climate Resilient Health Sector: Combating Future Health Emergencies; Climate Change: Putting Public health first; Air Pollution and COVID-19: Gearing Up for the Future; COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities in Waste Management, and Infectious Diseases and Biodiversity in the context of COVID-19.
The deliberations brought to the fore the interconnectedness of public health and the environment. The expert panelists gave an overview of health vulnerability, the health impact of climate change, and sustainable development. They also stressed the need for a robust public health system and green recovery as the key focus of the COVID-19 recovery plan.
The panelists emphasized that health and climate change should be placed high on the agenda as a resilient health sector is more responsive to deal with public health emergencies. As the world adapts to the new normal, the need to reinforce the collaboration between different sectors, investing in resilient health infrastructure, building capacities, and mobilizing resources are critical for mitigating health impact during emergencies.