Tucuman presents the Climate Change and Health Project with the support of PAHO-PAHO/WHO

It was within the framework of a public consultation forum attended by national and regional authorities, civil society leaders and members of the PAHO team in Argentina.

Buenos Aires, September 7, 2022 (PAHO/WHO). – The Ministry of Health of the Nation, the Ministry of Health of Tucumán and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in the province presented the project “Strengthening Health Participation in Climate Action in Argentina”, known as Health Preparedness, through the Public Consultation Forum on Climate Change and Health “Climactive 2022”, which It was attended by national and regional authorities and a broad call for references from civil society.

During the opening, PAHO/WHO Representative in Argentina, Eva Jani Lopes, indicated that the project will strengthen the response to climate change in the health sector. “The pandemic has shown us the interrelationship between health and the environment, and the urgent need to address the impact of climate change on people’s health, the consequences of which we are already seeing. He stressed that this project will allow us to implement policies and actions to warn and mitigate these effects. On the other hand, he also highlighted on the leadership of Argentina. “This launch in the province shows us the important leadership of Argentina on this issue, which will serve as a model for future business in other provinces and other countries in the region,” he said.

In turn, the Minister of Health of the province, Luis Medina Ruiz, pointed out the importance of the health project in the province. Climate change has led to the emergence of diseases such as dengue fever and the emergence of other diseases that no longer exist. Tucuman, the region and the world suffer. There are some changes that are irreversible, he said, but we can mitigate and stop others so that this climate change is not too sudden and dangerous.

On behalf of the country’s Ministry of Health, the Minister of Access to Health, Sandra Tirado, and the Undersecretary of Quality, Alejandro Collia, who commented on future actions under the project and highlighted the work in the province, were present. “Tucumán has a very important function in the field of health and climate change, which is why it was chosen as one of the three provinces to implement these actions. He noted that the results of the project will allow to multiply actions in the provinces and around the world, making the country a leader.”

During the day, more than three hundred participants from various sectors of civil society – government agencies, scientific institutions, NGOs, health services, local communities, indigenous peoples and students, among others – at the thirty consulting tables brought together perspectives and knowledge on issues related to health and climate change, such as sustainability and sustainability , re-emerging diseases, mental health, renewable energy, air quality, communications and sanitation, among others.

These multi-sectoral round tables have allowed health portfolios to recover knowledge and knowledge for the development of the regional plan for climate change and health, which is being prepared with technical support from PAHO under the project. On behalf of the Pan American Health Organization, the National Adviser on Climate Change and Health from the Argentina office, Alejandra Ferrero, also presented details of the project.

Finally, the National Health Ministry’s Environmental Health Coordinator, Marina Orman, presented the National Health and Climate Change Strategy, the framework in which this project is being implemented at the national level, and the Ministry’s Environmental Health Director. The district health officer, Julieta Migliavaca, commented on the district’s progress on this issue.

As part of this activity in the province, Dr. Jani Lopes had a meeting with the Governor, Osvaldo Galdo, where Medina Ruiz was also present. The authorities discussed the upcoming measures that will be implemented in the governorate within the framework of the project, including the governorate’s plan on health and climate change.

More about the project

The “Enhancing Health Participation in Argentina’s Climate Action” project – known as Readiness – aims to develop the foundations for Argentina to have a health system that is more resilient to climate change, something that will translate into actions to ensure that the health system is downgraded. carbon emissions, have sufficient institutional and technical capabilities, and are fully integrated with other sectors.

It is coordinated by the country’s Ministry of Health and the Presidency of the Nation’s Strategic Affairs Secretariat, with technical cooperation from PAHO/WHO and with funding from the Green Climate Fund, which awards funding for the first time worldwide for a health and climate change project. Currently and until the end of 2023, various actions are being carried out at the national level and in the provinces of Neuquén, Tucuman and Misiones.