The report highlights the urgent need to adapt health systems to withstand the growing threats posed by climate change. The focus is not limited to strengthening the resilience of health systems, including supply chains, service delivery, governance and financing, but also extends to strengthening an essential component of these systems: the workforce.
Key Highlights: Health Workers – a key pillar for health system resilience: Frontline health workers play a key role in keeping health systems functioning smoothly. They provide essential care to patients and, if given sufficient resources and training, they are able to adapt to emerging health threats, innovatively solve problems, and ensure quality care in the face of climate-induced disruptions. Impacts of Climate Change on Global Health: Climate change exacerbates adverse health outcomes and inequities, threatening the health of individuals, the safety of communities, and the effectiveness of health systems. It disrupts service delivery, complicates supply chains, and impedes the ability of health workers to deliver optimal care. Human and Economic Costs of Climate Change: A recent report predicts that climate change could result in an additional 14.5 million deaths worldwide by 2050 and economic losses of US$12.5 trillion. If unaddressed, these losses could exceed US$175 trillion by 2070. Increased focus on health workforce resilience: Healthcare workers are part of communities affected by climate change while also caring for patients suffering from conditions caused or exacerbated by climate change. They need the tools, support, and structure to effectively manage these challenges.
To address these challenges, the report outlines a range of strategies to build a climate-resilient health workforce, including providing health care workers and managers with the tools, support and structure to effectively manage these challenges, educating and equipping the workforce to navigate climate-related challenges, ensuring sufficient resources and processes for quality care and worker safety, and fostering a culture of contribution that encourages curiosity, creativity and innovation.
In conclusion, the report calls on all stakeholders – governments, donors, multilateral organizations, the private sector, academia, media and individuals – to empower the health workforce for a climate-resilient future. Collective action is essential to drive faster and more effective progress to protect the health of those most at risk from climate change.
contact address
Uche Ralph Opara, MD, Chief Health Officer, Project HOPE
Andrea Dan Sosa, MPH, CVA, Senior Regional Director, Project HOPE
