Climate change also affects health systems – 06/26/2023 – Pablo Acosta

The increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as heat waves and changes in rainfall and drought, have direct and indirect impacts on people’s lives, especially the most vulnerable.

The increase in food insecurity, respiratory, mental and cardiovascular diseases and those transmitted by vectors are some of the countless damages that climate change causes to already overburdened health systems. These challenges, compounded by underfunding, the shortage of professionals and the ongoing rapid aging of the population, could result in even more devastating consequences if adequate measures are not taken.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the weaknesses and strengths of health systems. According to the Health Panorama Report: Latin America and the Caribbean 2023, prepared by the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the high number of deaths highlighted the need for rapid responses to emergencies, appreciation and better distribution of the workforce, the strengthening of Primary Health Care and the governance system, and decision-making based on scientific evidence, considering integrality and the guarantee of equity.

According to the report, it is essential to guarantee investments so that health systems are more resilient and ready to respond to emergencies, minimizing possible human, social and economic costs. Increasing the sector’s resilience means reducing vulnerabilities, whether of the health system itself or of the population, given that the health conditions of the population are determined by social, economic and environmental conditions. Thus, it is necessary to define intersectoral policies, involving all levels of care and actions related to prevention and health promotion.

The development of climate resilience is fundamental, especially in the most socioeconomically unequal territories, such as in the north and northeast regions of Brazil, as there is a clear correlation between socioeconomic and environmental vulnerabilities. The interactive effects of this relationship can result in: disruption of daily activities; direct damage to social infrastructure; economic losses; higher rates of mortality and morbidity.

The combination of deforestation, poor urban planning and the rapid rate of urbanization of cities has increased the risk of adverse health effects. In addition, Brazil still needs to adopt better environmental practices. Although the overall emission of particulate matter outdoors is higher in richer countries, the environmental footprint of the Brazilian healthcare sector is one of the 10 largest in the world.

According to the World Health Organization, in 2020, Brazil indicated that it had surveillance systems and response plans for respiratory and airborne diseases, extreme weather events, malnutrition and foodborne diseases, mental and psychosocial health and diseases non-communicable. However, it indicated that its alert systems are not informed by climate changes so that they can anticipate responses to these diseases.

For the World Bank and the OECD, recommendations to strengthen the resilience of the Brazilian health sector to climate change include: the development of early warning systems to identify outbreaks; strengthening the education and training of health professionals on (re)emerging diseases; the formulation of preventive approaches and the adequate management of risks associated with climate change; the establishment of risk communication protocols with simple and inclusive language; and the fight against disinformation, before, during and after events.

A health system resilient to climate change leads to healthier, more equitable and sustainable human development. It also lays the foundations for economic growth and for universal access to health services, contributing to improving people’s lives and to the territorialization of the global climate, health and environment agenda.

This column was written in collaboration with my World Bank colleagues Roberto Iunes, senior economist, Daniela Pena de Lima, senior operations officer, and Flora Fonseca, consultant.

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