Seed Global Health and The Rockefeller Foundation are launching a project in Malawi to tackle health impacts attributed to climate change. This includes developing a vulnerability and adaptation assessment toolkit to enhance health system resilience. The partnership emphasizes the urgency for effective health strategies following recent climate-related crises, aiming for broader applicability in similar global contexts.
Seed Global Health (Seed) has partnered with The Rockefeller Foundation to tackle climate change’s severe health impacts in Malawi. They aim to establish a vulnerability and adaptation assessment (VAA) process that is affordable and accessible. This initiative will provide a rapid toolkit for low-resource countries to strengthen their health system’s resilience against climate threats.
The project will develop and test a VAA process in collaboration with Malawi’s Ministry of Health. It will recommend strategies for Malawi’s National Health Adaptation Plan while providing insights on how to apply this tool in other nations facing similar climate challenges.
Malawi’s Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, emphasized that climate change poses a significant health crisis in addition to environmental concerns. For developing nations like Malawi, ensuring climate-resilient health systems is not only ethically necessary but also economically wise, as it allows for better risk management and prioritization of health interventions.
In 2023, Cyclone Freddy led to a significant cholera outbreak, affecting 2.2 million people and further straining Malawi’s already limited healthcare system. The outbreak disrupted water sanitation and infrastructure, while a shortage of skilled workers hampered the response efforts, illustrating the urgent need for effective health strategies to handle such crises.
Gerishom Gimaiyo of The Rockefeller Foundation expressed that climate change is adversely affecting health and limiting the capabilities of health systems. The rapid VAA approach intends to create actionable data to inform decisions that protect vulnerable communities and strengthen health resilience.
The VAA toolkit will enhance Malawi’s capacity to tackle complex challenges associated with climate change and health workforce integration. Anda Nyondo, country director of Seed Global Health in Malawi, stressed the partnership’s importance in guiding the Ministry’s health and climate response strategies.
Seed Global Health is dedicated to investing in health equity and strengthening health systems in response to climate change and pandemic threats. In contrast, The Rockefeller Foundation focuses on promoting human opportunity while combating climate crises across various sectors including health, energy, and finance.
Overall, this collaboration aims to enhance Malawi’s health resilience and provide vital insights for countries worldwide grappling with similar climate-related health issues.
The partnership between Seed Global Health and The Rockefeller Foundation signifies a critical advancement in addressing the health repercussions of climate change in Malawi. Through the development of a vulnerability and adaptation assessment toolkit, Malawi aims to bolster its healthcare system, effectively responding to climate-related challenges. This initiative highlights the importance of collaboration and continuous support in creating resilient health infrastructures in vulnerable nations.
Original Source: www.rockefellerfoundation.org
