Nigeria, yesterday at its nation capital, Abuja launched the first ever climate Health vulnerability and adaptation assessment report meant to safeguard it’s citizens in the face of climate change.
The report also provide vital data that will inform Nigeria’s Health National Adaptation plan (HNAP) towards providing a framework that will guide national heath policies and ensure resilience against climate related health risks
In his goodwill messages to mark the ocassion, the Head Mission and Representative of World Health Organization (WHO) in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo described the report as a testament to Nigeria’s commitment in addressing the health impact of climate change in addition to becoming a precursor for action to advance health in all policies.
According to him, climate change has been recognized at the 77th World health Assembly as the most significant threat to global health in the 21st century, profoundly affecting human lives.
“It threatens the essential ingredients of good health, clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter and has the potential to undermine decades of progress in the health system.
“The alarming projection that in the near future, 21% of Nigeria’s disease burden could be climate related. Rising temperature, extreme weather events, and shifting diseases patterns are already having severe consequences on health systems, livelihoods, and well-being, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Dr Mulombo added that WHO remains committed to Nigeria in pursuit of a heathier and more climate-resilient future. “Together we can build a stronger health system capable of protecting all Nigerians from risks possessed by a changing climate
” As a key partner in this journey, WHO facilitated Nigeria’s first ever signing of a Heath sector commitment to a sustainable and climate resilient health system in 2021, aligning the country’s health priorities with the Paris Agreement and the COP26 heath programmes.
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