Climate Services to Improve Public Health

Abstract

A high level expert panel discussed how climate and health services could best collaborate to improve public health. This was on the agenda of the recent Third International Climate Services Conference, held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, 4–6 December 2013. Issues and challenges concerning a demand led approach to serve the health sector needs, were identified and analysed. Important recommendations emerged to ensure that innovative collaboration between climate and health services assist decision-making processes and the management of climate-sensitive health risk. Key recommendations included: a move from risk assessment towards risk management; the engagement of the public health community with both the climate sector and development sectors, whose decisions impact on health, particularly the most vulnerable; to increase operational research on the use of policy-relevant climate information to manage climate- sensitive health risks; and to develop in-country capacities to improve local knowledge (including collection of epidemiological, climate and socio-economic data), along with institutional interaction with policy makers.

Informação Sobre Seca E Saúde: Subsídio Para Ações Preventivas

“…Outro sistema que seja integrado com o monitoramento e o alerta precoce de seca, considerando a duração e o agravamento que esse evento possa trazer. Por último, um sistema de informação em saúde e a criação de uma rede de segurança de respostas e emergências em saúde pública, com o estabelecimento ou aprimoramento de uma coordenação entre os setores e níveis de governo (JANCLOES et al, 2014;WMO;GWP, 2014;BARCELLOS et al, 2016).…”

“…A colaboração e parceria de áreas afins para potencializar a informação e gerenciamento de ações integradas em saúde nas regiões acometidas pela seca e desertificação são essenciais, agindo com o intuito de garantir uma melhor preparação e resposta do setor saúde. Esse mecanismo deve considerar principalmente as agendas de mudanças climáticas, desenvolvimento sustentável e gestão de redução de riscos associados à seca (JANCLOES et al, 2014;OPAS, 2015). Ações intersetoriais podem ser planejadas entre setores e/ou programas chaves, como: agricultura, pecuária, meteorologia, gerenciamento de recursos hídricos, desenvolvimento regional, redução de risco de desastres saúde, meio ambiente, segurança alimentar, defesa civil, educação, desenvolvimento social, entre outros (SENA et al, 2014;OPAS, 2015;CROSSMAN, 2018).…”

Scoping, options analysis and design of a ‘Climate Information and Services Programme’ for Africa (CIASA): Literature review

“…Rapid urbanisation with a lack of modern drainage systems and wastewater systems has the potential for increasing the prevalence of water-borne diseases. While the impacts of weather and climate on public health are widely recognised, the uptake and implementation of weather and climate services in order to inform policy and decisionmaking activities within the health sector is relatively low (Jancloes et al, 2014;WMO, 2014h).…”

Seasonal forecasting and health impact models: challenges and opportunities

“…Infectious disease epidemics and extreme temperature–related mortality have a direct impact on the health of local populations, strain healthcare systems, and cause substantial economic loss . Many policy makers are aware of the effects of climate on the dynamics of many diseases and health outcomes; however, climate information is rarely exploited as a means to help prevent and control such health risks . In order to improve the ability to adapt to a changing climate and to mitigate its effects, it is necessary to improve the link between the production and supply of climate science information and its accommodation to the needs of end users.…”

“…17,18 Many policy makers are aware of the effects of climate on the dynamics of many diseases and health outcomes; however, climate information is rarely exploited as a means to help prevent and control such health risks. 19 In order to improve the ability to adapt to a changing climate and to mitigate its effects, it is necessary to improve the link between the production and supply of climate science information and its accommodation to the needs of end users. Climate services, which aim to provide timely, tailored information and decision-support tools to decision makers, are an important part of improving our capacity to manage climate-related risk.…”