Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate , (Midle); Permanent Secretary Kachollom Daju Kachollom 5th left and other stakeholders during the launch and closing ceremony of the Nigerian Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review (JAR) on Friday in Abuja.
Blessing Bature analysed the imperative of the Nigeria’s Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Report launched by Nigerian government in addressing climate challenges in the country.
Nigeria’s climate change impacts severely threaten public health, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Rising temperatures, water scarcity, and extreme weather events increase disease transmission, heat stress, and mortality.
By identifying areas of high vulnerability, Nigeria can focus on improving climate resilience in its health infrastructure and services.
On Friday, Federal government of Nigeria take a significant step towards addressing the impact of climate change on health with the launch of its first climate health vulnerability and adaptation assessment report.
According to Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, climate change is a complex issue that affects various aspects of health, including rising temperatures, air quality, and respiratory infections.
The report highlights the interconnectedness of climate change and health, with areas of high climate vulnerability also experiencing increased disease burdens. Climate change can lead to severe consequences such as flooding, diarrheal diseases, water contamination, and cholera outbreaks. Moreover, it exacerbates the transmission of malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and malnutrition due to fragile food systems.
Nigeria’s Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Report underscores urgent actions to implement adaptive strategies to protects lives, livelihoods and Nigeria’s future.
The report’s launch which was supported by International partners, like UNDP, WHO, World Bank
This groundbreaking document assesses Nigeria’s climate-related health risks and outlines strategic adaptation measures which underscores Nigeria’s commitment to addressing climate change’s impact on public health.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate speaking at the launch which took place at the closing ceremony of the Nigerian Health Sector Wide Joint Annual Review (JAR), an event that brought stakeholders; local and foreign partners together, said climate change is multifaceted, interconnects with several other elements and in trying to solve one problem, another problem features.
Pate explained, “If you look at Nigeria’s population dynamics, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), and the burden of disease, you also see the areas that have the excessive climate vulnerability in our country. So these two issues are in some ways interconnected, whether it’s in rising temperature, impact on air quality and respiratory infections.”
He stated that the impact of climate change could be felt in cases of flooding and diarrheal diseases, water contamination, cholera outbreaks due to rising water table, or in the protracted cycle of transmission of malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and also malnutrition because food systems have become fragile either from declining productivity in the food systems or flooding that destroys farmlands.
“So this is a very complex issue but we cannot just wait and hope that it will disappear. Therefore, this work that we are launching is an effort to have a concrete plan that we can execute to adapt to this reality that we are facing as a people.
He assured of Federal government commitment towards ensuring resilient health systems based on resilient communities while calling on community leaders all over Nigeria to sensitise the population to understand the implication of the assessment so that they are aware of the changes in the climate.
The World Health Organisation’s Country representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Molumbo, said, that the commitment of Nigeria to a climate-resilient health sector has been evident since COP26 in 2021, where the country pledged to build a sustainable, low-emission health system.
According to him, the report was a “crucial milestone” in safeguarding the health of Nigerians against climate change, saying report aligns with the commitments made under the Paris Agreement.
Mulombo, however, said that as Nigeria prepares for the future, investing in climate resilient health system was a crucial priority and that WHO was proud and remains committed along with the dedicated partners in Nigeria in its pursuit for a healthier and more climate resistant future.
Also, the advisor to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Dogara Kara while talking about the report’s findings, said that the objectives of the report was to provide a baseline and future projections of the vulnerability and capacity of the country to adapt climate changes.
He added that the document would serve as evidence base for decision making and advocacy as well as resource organisation for the country.
Kara hinted that the report which has about 150 recommendations, notes that the risks and impacts of climate change on the health sector are projected to worsen in terms of severity, duration and magnitude across all geographic areas in Nigeria.
He informed that Nigeria will experience an additional 21 per cent burden of disease due to climate change, while temperatures will continue to rise across the country between 2020 and 2050, as a result of climate change, Nigeria will be exposed to increased rainfall across all regions and under most severe scenarios, sea levels are predicted to rise.
In the same vein, the Chief Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina said the Joint Annual Review: A Sector-Wide Approach as discussed over the past few days, is a crucial component of the government’s sector-wide approach. This annual event aims to: review progress toward our vision, assess performance across various dimensions, engage stakeholders, including subnational governments and development partners and determine areas for improvement, scaling up, or adjustment.
He noted that the objectives is to enhance collaboration and coordination, Identify areas for strategic focus, foster continuous improvement and adaptation.
“This approach ensures a cohesive and responsive health sector, aligning with national priorities and global best practices”.
He explained that climate change indeed has far-reaching effects on health systems and outcomes, saying it increases vulnerability to diseases, malnutrition, and other health issues, especially in communities already struggling with limited resources. The recent floods in Nigeria, for instance, have exposed people to outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases.