Health Minister Emphasizes Health as Backbone of Climate Resilience at Climate and Health Africa Conference 2024

Effort Moyo

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are essential to integrating health into Zimbabwe’s climate strategies, a priority highlighted at the Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC 2024) held in Harare yesterday.

The Minister of Health and Childcare, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, underscored this approach in his address at the inaugural CHAC 2024, which began on October 29 and gathered experts to tackle the health impacts of climate change in Africa.

CHAC 2024, organized by Centre for Sexual Health and HIV and AIDS Research Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, and the Ministry of Health and Childcare, marks Africa’s formal entry into the global dialogue on climate and health.

Africa remains highly vulnerable to climate-sensitive diseases due to limited adaptive capacity. Dr Mombeshora stressed the need to prioritize health within climate mitigation efforts via NDCs to foster climate resilience across the continent

“The importance of Nationally Determined Contributions cannot be overstated they map out each nation’s unique part towards reducing emotions and in Zimbabwe they ensure that health is a vital component is firmly integrated into our climate mitigation strategies”, said the Minister.

Mombeshora shared a vision for a future where health forms the foundation of climate resilience, aligning with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.

“Nationally Determined Contributions are more than policy tools,they are the corner stone of part towards sustainable development,they ensure that health is central to our climate action embedding resilience into the heart of our health care systems,our vision is clear to make health the backborn of our climate resilient framework aligning with our vision 2030 and our commitment to achieving the sustainable development goals”,said Mombeshora.

CHAC 2024 aims to redefine Africa’s approach to health within the climate change context, promoting a healthier, more resilient future for its people.

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