International authorities and non-governmental organizations collaborate on bolstering the health sector's ability to withstand climatic shifts
In Southeast Asia, Laos is taking significant strides to fortify its health system against the impacts of climate change. The "Strengthening Climate Resilience of the Lao PDR Health System" project, a five-year initiative, is at the forefront of these efforts.
The project, spanning 79 health facilities nationwide, aims to ensure these vital institutions can continue providing essential care during and after climate-related events, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, and typhoons.
The Lao Ministry of Health (MOH) leads this ambitious project, with support from international NGOs like Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia (HCWH SEA) and Save the Children (SCiL). Development partners, technical experts, and local health service providers also play crucial roles.
The project focuses on three key strategies: building community capacity to cope with climate-related health impacts, using climate data and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) indicators to monitor climate risks, and upgrading health facilities to be resilient against climate change impacts.
Specifically, the project aims to support the government in addressing climate-related health challenges by empowering communities, enhance the use of climate and WASH data to better prepare for risks in 25 vulnerable districts, collaborate with health service providers to upgrade 79 health facilities nationwide, and incorporate tools and methods for project implementation.
One of the project's unique aspects is the collection and analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission data from health facilities. HCWH SEA will lead this nationwide assessment. The project also aims to build the capacity of healthcare personnel on climate and health, utilising tools like the Climate Check Up Tool, and developing systems for ongoing carbon footprint assessments and mitigation strategies.
The project is a critical component of a broader Green Climate Fund-supported initiative. Its findings will contribute to the country's national climate mitigation targets and support long-term health system resilience. The project is associated with the topics of Cities, Policy & Finance.
The project's ultimate goal is to develop clean, safe, and climate-resilient health facilities across seven provinces in Laos. It is tagged with carbon footprint, COP, emissions, floods, food security, natural disasters, NGOs, climate, governance, healthcare, resilience, climate risk, extreme weather, global warming, heatwaves, philanthropy, and COP30.
The project is related to news, events, jobs, and thought leadership. It is published by EB Publishing, and the target audience for the project is those who matter to the publisher. The project will undoubtedly contribute significantly to the climate resilience of Laos and its health system, ensuring essential care continues to be provided in the face of a changing climate.
- The project, accounting for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission data from health facilities, will contribute to Laos' national climate mitigation targets, promoting clean, safe, and climate-resilient health facilities nationwide.
- International NGOs, such as Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia (HCWH SEA) and Save the Children (SCiL), provide support to the Lao Ministry of Health (MOH) in the implementation of climate-change-focused therapies and treatments within Laos' health system.
- The project incorporates tools like the Climate Check Up Tool to improve the capacity of healthcare personnel on climate and health, as well as develop systems for ongoing carbon footprint assessments and mitigation strategies.
- In Laos, the "Strengthening Climate Resilience of the Lao PDR Health System" project, associated with environmental-science and medicare, is using climate data, along with WASH indicators, to monitor climate risks in 25 vulnerable districts, thereby enhancing health-and-wellness preparedness for extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and typhoons.
