Climate Change and Health:

Implications for Asia’s Health Systems

Conference on
The Environments of the Poor in the Context
Climate Change and Green Economy
New Delhi 24 – 26 Nov 2010

Dr Habibullah Saiyed
WHO Regional Office for
South-East Asia, New Delhi
The views expressed in this paper/presentation are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of
the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the
source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion,
or view presented, nor does it make any representation concerning the same.
 Outline of Presentation

• Why human health is important?

• How global warming will affect health?
• Causes of vulnerability of poor to health
impacts
• Burden of climate sensitive diseases
• WHO’s strategic messages
• WHO strategy to protect human health from
CC
Why should we focus on human health?

• CC affects basic pillars of life

support system – water, food,
air and ecosystem.
• Health impact is to be seen as
ultimate endpoint of all adverse
impacts.
• All adverse effects of CC will
ultimately effect safety and
wellbeing of humans.
• Health of vulnerable
populations is at a greatest risk
from CC.
Consequences of Small Temperature Shift
Consequences of Small Temperature Shift
(2)
 WHO estimated Mortality due to Climate Change in 2000
(compared to base line climate 1961 – 1990)

WPR, 3000

AFR, 55000

SEAR, 82000

EMR, 22000
AMR, 3000

EUR, 0

WHO Regions : AFR = Africa; AMR = North and South America; EMR = Eastern
Mediterranean; EUR = Europe; SEAR = South-East Asia; WPR = Western Pacific
 Health impacts are unfairly distributed
GHG Emitters
Countries scaled
according to cumulative
emission in carbon
equivalent to 2002.
Rich Emitting Nations (Europe and North America)

Health Impact
WHO regions scaled
according to WHO estimates
of mortality per million people
in the year 2000, attributable
to the climate change that
occurred from 1970s to 2000.
Map projections from
Worst health impact – poor nations of Africa and Asia Patz et al, 2007;
WHO, 2008.
 CC-Related Major Health Problems

Each Year in
South-East Asia Region

-Under-nutrition kills 179,000

- Diarrhoea kills 684,000
- Malaria kills 36,000

-Victims are mostly poor

CC will amplify the existing health problems of poor

Vicious Cycle of Poverty and Diseases

Unhealthy
environment;
POVERTY
hazardous jobs;
poor healthcare

Reduced
Diseases &
earning
Injuries
capacity
Higher temperatures will selectively
hit the poor during work and rest
Key Strategic Messages from WHO
to Protect Health from CC
1. Health should be more central in the
climate debate
2. Health action can save lives now and
protect from future climate change
3. Well planned climate mitigation can
improve health
4. Lead by an example on Mitigation and
Adaptation
 WHO Strategic Approach for South-East Asia
I. Increase awareness on Health Impact of CC

Provide technical guidance, tools to the member

states (health ministries) to
1. Carry out research
a. Information on extent of current and future
health impact;
b. Identify health impact vulnerable populations
and optimum adaptation options
2. Enhance political commitment and strengthen
institutional capacities for health adaptation.
3. Facilitate coordinated actions by national
groups including NGOs
II Strengthen Health Systems to provide protection from CC
– related health risks

Support Member States to -

1. develop and implement national action plans for
adaptation.
2. develop integrated health strategies to incorporate
current and projected health-related risks into
existing national programmes on climate sensitive
diseases
3. Strengthen public health systems and
disaster/emergency preparedness.
4. Facilitate greater
III Consider Inter-sectoral Coordination in
programmes and policies

1. Support Member States to ensure that health

concerns are adequately addressed in mitigation
and adaptation policies and programmes in other
key sectors ( e.g. energy, transport, agriculture,
education)
2. Human health at the core of national
communications to UNFCCC
3. Facilitate regional coordinaton.