The health ministers of the CARICOM countries have approved a regional action plan on health and climate change. The plan for 2026 through 2031 is intended to better prepare healthcare institutions for, among other things, hurricanes, flooding, extreme heat and the spread of diseases such as dengue.
The ministers approved the plan during the 53rd meeting of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development on Health, held in Washington on September 25. The action plan was drawn up with support from the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).
According to PAHO, climate change and other environmental hazards are placing increasing pressure on healthcare in the Caribbean. Hurricanes have damaged hospitals and health centres, disrupting access to care. Changing weather conditions may also affect the spread of dengue.
The action plan focuses on four areas: giving health a permanent place in climate policy, better preparing healthcare institutions and personnel for risks, reducing emissions from the health sector, and securing funding for implementation. This includes stronger disease surveillance and early-warning systems, safer healthcare buildings and more sustainable energy use.
PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa describes the plan as a joint commitment to better protect communities against climate and environmental risks. Implementation will be led by the individual countries; PAHO/WHO will provide technical support.
The new plan builds on an earlier regional approach. According to PAHO, more than 2,500 healthcare workers in fifteen countries have been trained in climate change and health under that approach. Warning systems have also been expanded and healthcare institutions adapted to standards for safer and more sustainable buildings.
CARICOM countries are encouraged to align their national plans with the regional priorities and to involve ministries of public health, environment, finance and disaster management, among others, in implementation.
