It will become increasingly important for health systems to prepare for the effects of climate change and assess their own contributions to the issues. A Nov. 8 World Health Organization report reveals that nations are beginning to look into these problems.
The WHO collected responses from 95 countries on their readiness to adjust health systems to combat climate change and prepare for different patient demands. Here are the most important results:
- Fifty-one percent of the countries surveyed have conducted at least one vulnerability and adaptation assessment to understand the ways in which they are likely to be affected by climate change.
- More than 75 percent of countries have a national climate and health strategy in place or have one under development. But only a quarter of countires have reached a high or very high implementation phase of these plans.
- Lack of funding and human resources were the biggest obstacles to countries implementing climate and health strategies.
- In 54 percent of countries, the health ministry has created a multi-stakeholder approach, involving several sectors and different ministries. But only a fifth of countries have formalized agreements between health ministries and other sectors.
- Only 42 percent of countries reported training healthcare workers on specific climate-related health issues.
- Just over a quarter of countries have assessed the climate resiliency of healthcare facilities, and only 23 percent of countries have looked into the sustainability of their centers.