Today's Edition
Abu Dhabi (Aletihad)
“Today, it is imperative to recognise the existing link between climate change and health,” said Her Excellency Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Executive Director of the Communicable Diseases Department at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
Aletihad spoke with Her Excellency about the intersection of environmental sustainability and public health, a topic being explored at length during the ongoing COP28, hosted by the UAE.
Climate Change and Public Health
“The ramifications of climate change will impact individuals’ health and pose significant threats to our health systems, necessitating proactive measures to build resilient healthcare systems for the future. That is why, following the directives of our wise leadership, the UAE has taken a proactive approach to building a climate-resilient healthcare system, ensuring the wellbeing of its citizens and communities,” Al Hosani said.
For the first time in the history of COP conferences, this year’s event dedicated a day for health along with a climate-health ministerial forum, that aimed to build consensus on priority actions for the health systems’ response to climate change, Her Excellency noted.
She explained that climate change puts immense pressure on healthcare systems around the world, as it causes extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and air pollution, which have been all linked to a surge in respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues. Climate change also influences the distribution of vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Lyme disease.
As temperatures rise and precipitation patterns change, these vectors may expand their habitats to new regions, potentially exposing larger populations to infectious diseases. Other incidents could occur, such as extreme weather events, floodings, and contamination of water sources, which surge the risks of cholera, in addition to impacts on respiratory health caused by the increased levels of pollutants, she said.
“That is why it’s imperative that we take collective action to ensure that the healthcare systems are dynamic, resilient, and capable of dealing with expected changes in population health and mitigating future risks,” Al Hosani said.
COP28 ‘Health Day’
As part of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), ADPHC and DoH have been exhibiting a wide array of projects that seek to showcase efforts in designing health systems policies related to climate change.
“One of our biggest announcements will be the launching of ADPHC’s first Sustainability Report,” she added. The report seeks to showcase ADPHC’s commitment to sustainability while outlining our efforts to integrate environmentally, socially, and economically responsible practices into ADPHC’s operations, and efficiently assess the department’s performance.
The DoH and the ADPHC have also organised a comprehensive 12-day programme, focusing on the intersection of healthcare and climate change, while hosting a series of panel discussions, meetings, and presentations that seek to highlight this intersection.
“Through this programme, we will host a series of panel discussions in our booth, to tackle vital topics that would help in shaping resilient, sustainable, and future-ready healthcare systems, varying from health resilience and innovation, mitigating economic impacts, the importance of international alliances, the environmental burden of disease model which will provide an interactive tool to measure the attributed burden of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in Abu Dhabi, and the UAE’s National Framework on Climate Change,” Al Hosani said.
The Climate Fight
In response to growing concerns, Abu Dhabi has adopted the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s operational framework for building climate-resilient health systems, Al Hosani explained. This framework provides a comprehensive roadmap for assessing climate risks, and developing adaptation strategies, thus building a flexible, future-proof, and sustainable healthcare system.
“Additionally, earlier this year, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi introduced the Emirate’s healthcare sustainability goals, which seek to reduce carbon emissions by 20% in 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. Our vision for a future-ready healthcare sector is built around three main pillars, on which we have tailored our sustainability goals, which are: infrastructure, operations, and waste management, which is what these goals are built on,” she added.
To measure progress and track sustainability efforts, the department introduced the “Green Emerald” in Abu Dhabi’s Healthcare Sustainability Index (Muashir). This index provides a holistic assessment of the healthcare sector’s environmental performance, encompassing sustainable operations, eco-friendly infrastructure, and efficient means for waste management, thus ensuring that we make strides toward a more environmentally conscious and resilient healthcare system, she explained.
“In addition to preventive measures, we are also strengthening our ability to respond effectively to unexpected disruptions. By enhancing our business continuity management (BCM) plans, we can mitigate potential risks and ensure the continued provision of essential healthcare services to our stakeholders, even in the face of climate-related emergencies, thus ensuring a future-proof healthcare sector,” Al Hosani said.
Collaborative Efforts
“Climate change is a universal issue that directly affects the future of our people and our planet, that is why, we strongly believe in the importance of partnerships and collaboration to work together in building a better future,” Al Hosani affirmed.
She explained that in Abu Dhabi, the department actively collaborates with the global healthcare community, sharing best practices and exchanging knowledge to address crucial challenges.
“In addition, our participation in COP28 reflects our eagerness to integrate health considerations into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies,” she added. “As I mentioned, the UAE’s wise leadership continues to prioritise health as a critical component of our sustainability action plan during the conference, which allows all participating entities to contribute to the development of holistic, sustainable strategies for the future.
“We acknowledge that our collective efforts today will define our future, which is why Abu Dhabi is taking considerable steps to make sure that our healthcare system is equipped and prepared for emergencies. We also hope that COP28 will be a significant turning point in the way we address climate change and its direct impact on the global community’s health and wellbeing,” Al Hosani said.
