CHAC 2024 adopts Harare Declaration on Africa’s climate health

Sub : Env

Sec: Int Conventions

Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC):

Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC) 2024 was organized by Centre for Sexual Health, HIV and AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, and the WHO Regional Office for Africa, among other partners.
CHAC 2024 concluded with the Harare Declaration, a commitment to strengthen climate resilience within Africa’s health systems and address climate-related health impacts.
Harare Declaration includes a guide for African countries to proactively develop health systems resilient to climate change by leveraging scientific, local, and traditional knowledge, and enhancing policy leadership.

Key Points of the Declaration:

Call for Collaborative Action:
- Encourages governments, academia, funding bodies, and civil society to combat climate-related health issues.
- Emphasizes a public health emergency approach for climate change, involving strengthened health sector frameworks to protect and engage health workers.
Investment in Research and Knowledge Generation:
- Promotes studies on the impacts of climate change on African health and identification of effective interventions.
- Highlights the importance of inclusive dialogue between science, policy, and communities.
Surveillance and Early Warning Systems:
- Calls for improved systems to monitor climate-related health risks, enabling timely responses.
Building Climate-Resilient Health Systems:
- WHO reports a rise in climate-sensitive diseases, such as malaria (14% increase in 2023) and cholera, exacerbated by natural disasters, malnutrition, and displacement.
- Recommends upgrades to health infrastructure and training of the health workforce to better manage climate impacts.
- Emphasizes community engagement and the integration of local knowledge in health resilience efforts.
Research Partnerships and Funding:
- Advocates for equitable research partnerships and enhanced funding for climate-health initiatives in Africa.