Twenty at risk healthcare facilities have been identified for infrastructural improvement to address flood-resistant infrastructure to be able to withstand extreme weather conditions, and strengthen back-up water supply systems to provide access to clean water during disasters.
This has been highlighted by Minister for Health Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu during the launch of the Fiji Health Adaptation Plan 2024 – 2030 at the COP29 forum in Baku, Azerbaijan.
He says that the current KOICA funded project in Fiji has identified these at risk healthcare facilities.
Dr Lalabalavu says Fiji is one of the first countries in the Pacific region to establish a health adaptation plan.
He says endorsed by the Government of Fiji as its health sector’s response to the health impacts of climate change, the plan is designed to empower Fijians to develop, implement, and monitor robust, health-focused adaptation strategies which will systematically integrate health into the broader national climate adaptation plan and help build resilience in our health system and our community at all levels.
He says the Fiji National Adaptation Plan builds on more than a decade of activity on climate change health in Fiji and continues from the Climate Change and Health Strategic Action Plan 2016-2022.
The Minister also acknowledged the Korean International Cooperation Agency and the World Health Organization for supporting the Health Ministry in the development of the Fiji's National Adaptation Plan.
The Regional Director for the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Dr Saia Piukala in his remarks congratulated Fiji for the launch of the plan, and acknowledged that Fiji is a leader in climate change and health actions in the Pacific region.
Dr Piukala also encouraged other Small Island States in the Pacific to follow Fiji’s lead and establish their own health adaptation plans to address the impact of climate on health in their own countries.
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