Coordinated Action and Higher Budget Needed to Tackle Climate Health Risks, Says State Minister Muhith
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr M A Muhith has stressed the need to expand coordinated initiatives and inter-ministerial cooperation to tackle the multifaceted health risks created by climate change.
He made the remarks on Thursday (29 October) as chief guest at a policy dialogue titled ‘Climate Change, Health Systems and Resilience in Bangladesh’, organised by the Knowledge Hub Institute at BRAC Inn Centre in Mohakhali, Dhaka.
The state minister said tackling climate-related health risks cannot depend on any single ministry or government institution alone. Alongside increasing coordination among institutions, the health sector budget must be raised and new approaches introduced in working methods.
He said evidence-based research and effective policymaking are essential to address the health impacts of climate change. In this area, the Meteorological Department, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) and the Health Economics Unit must work together.
The state minister said alongside necessary funding allocations, existing working procedures also need to change. If plans and policies are adopted based on research findings, effective steps can be taken to tackle the risks.
He also raised the protection of vulnerable groups during climate-related disasters, saying separate data must be collected on the risks and needs of women, children, elderly people and persons with disabilities.
The health state minister also commented that an effective early warning system must be built to identify possible health risks before a disaster strikes.
At the event, chaired by Knowledge Hub Institute President Dr Khandaker Golam Moazzem, a keynote paper was presented on the multifaceted impacts of climate change and the challenges facing Bangladesh's health system.
