By Samuel Ogunsona reporting from Dubai
The World Health Organization(WHO) has joined the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Health and Prevention to unveil the COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health’ at the ongoing world climate action conference in Dubai.
The motive behind the new initiative is to place health at the heart of climate action and accelerate the development of climate-resilient, sustainable and equitable health systems.
Irohinodua correspont at the event in Dubai observed that over 120 countries around the world back the COP28 UAE Climate and Health Declaration initiatives.
Some of the notable countries that champions the initiative includes but not limited to Brazil, Malawi, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Kenya, Fiji, India, Egypt, Sierra Leone, and Germany.
The COP28 President, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, said the motive is to reduce global emission and support in strengthening our health system.
He said, “The impacts of climate change are already at our door. They have become one of the greatest threats to human health in the 21st century. Governments have now rightly recognized health as a crucial element of climate action”
“The Declaration sends a strong signal that we must reduce global emissions and work together to strengthen our health systems”. He added
The Director-General, World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, gave kudos to COP28 presidency for the awesome declaration and emphasized on building climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems to protect the health, climate and the people.
He said, “The climate crisis is a health crisis, but for too long, health has been a footnote in climate discussions,”
The Malawi President, Lazarus Chakwera, who among others championed the declaration stated that the world can not over look the health sector at the pace of fighting climate crisis.
He said, “Climate change is increasingly impacting the health and wellbeing of our communities,”
“Malawi has experienced these impacts first-hand – extreme weather events have displaced tens of thousands of our citizens and sparked infectious disease outbreaks that have killed thousands more. This year, at COP28, we are calling for a bolder path forward that prioritizes investments in health and wellbeing, ensures a just transition away from fossil fuels, and creates a healthier future for all of us.”