KATHMANDU: The World Health Organization(WHO) asked health ministers from 11 South-East Asian countries to urgently gear up for bringing health systems in place so as to protect people’s health from climate change. According to the UN’s health body, the climate change has prompted over a million deaths globally in the past eight-year period.

Speaking at the regional meet of the health ministers here in the capital today, Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, said that the poor were the most vulnerable to climate change. “The scarcity of drinking water will swell outbreaks of diarrhoeal disease and reduce food production that will adversely impact the attempts to bring down malnutrition among children of the poors.”

“Climate change will have dramatic cost implications for the health sector and countries in this region. So, an urgent action is need of the hour to brace up for the added disease burden,” said Plianbangchang.

He shared that the direct consequences of climate change on health were severe as it could cause significant loss of life and widespread illness such as cardiovascular disorders, asthma and allergies, injuries, disability and drowning, water- and vector-borne diseases, and psycho-social stress, due to heat strokes. “Coastal flooding due to

sea level rise can trigger mass migrations, resulting in social conflicts

that will especially affect those with limited means to come to terms with the crisis,” he added.

During the conference, WHO said that it has been working with member states in the South-East Asia region to strengthen health systems and health professional capacity, and increasing awareness by empowering local communities to become resilient to health threats resulted due to the climate change. He added the focus now would be on increasing awareness and improving knowledge of health professionals on the health consequences of climate change.