Asia | HCWH-Asia urges governments to invest in low-carbon, climate-resilient health care

As health and environment leaders meet this week in Manila for the World Health Organization’s Asia Pacific Regional Forum on Environment and Health (4th Regional Forum), Health Care Without Harm-Asia urges governments of Southeast and East Asian countries to protect public health from climate change and to invest in building low carbon and climate-resilient health facilities.

“Considering the climate change’s major impacts on people’s health, health care needs to help lead the efforts to address this, one of the greatest problems of our time.   Our hospitals need to be the last buildings standing in an extreme weather event; our health systems must adapt to the shifting burden of disease; and we must reduce our own carbon footprint, which is quite large in some countries,” explained HCWH International Director of Program and Strategy, Josh Karliner, who will be presenting on green, low-carbon, climate-resilient health care during a pre-forum event.

“The 4th Regional Forum is a great opportunity for the Philippines to assert its role on climate and health issues,” expressed HCWH-Asia Director Ramon San Pascual. “It’s time for us to view climate change as a public health emergency. Aside from urging our governments to accelerate actions related to the impacts of environmental issues on public health, we enjoin the health sector to take on a leadership role in protecting our people’s health from climate change.”

More from HCWH-Asia’s website.

HCWH also featured in Business Mirror: Governments told: Invest in low-carbon, climate-resilient health care

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