Climate &Elimination &Environment &Mosquitoes Bill Brieger | 13 Nov 2024 04:16 pm
WHO addresses health and malaria at COP29
The World Health Organization has prepared an important document entitled “Health is the Argument for Climate Action: COP29Health is the Argument for Climate Action: COP29 Special Report on Climate Change and Health”. Malaria and other vector borne diseases are highlighted.
The report addresses diseases carried by mosquitoes by stating that, “Climate change increases the transmission of deadly infectious diseases such as dengue, malaria, West Nile virus” and others which are temperature and rainfall dependent. In particular, malaria transmission is intricately connected with temperature and rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events have been shown to cause rapid spikes in cases.”
Climate change not only effects environmentsClimate change not only effects environments where these diseases thrive, but impacts the livelihoods of populations, reducing their ability to pay for prevention and treatment. Migration and displacement also may result increasing vulnerability to disease.
Two of the report’s recommendations have special bearing on malaria. One is the need to “develop and implement innovative financing mechanisms, such as a global health insurance scheme for climate-vulnerable nations” and communities. A second is the importance of “Strengthen(ing) health surveillance systems, particularly in low-income countries, to better track and respond to climate-related health impacts.”
Recognizing the climate dependence of malaria will be a crucial step in eliminating the disease.