MEDIA INVITE | The Rural Health Advocacy Project will be launching a policy brief on strengthening primary health care to reduce climate change and improve universal health coverage
In the lead up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku next week, the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP) will be launching our latest policy brief on strengthening primary health care (PHC) to reduce the health sector’s impact on climate change and help achieve universal health coverage (UHC). Join RHAP on Thursday the 07th of November 2024 from 13:30 to 15:00 to be a part of this important discussion.
Despite its vital role in maintaining people’s health, the health system is a major contributor to climate change. This impact occurs through the provision of care to patients, the production and disposal of medical waste, the high energy consumption (particularly in hospitals), emissions from manufacturing medical products and from the transportation of goods and people.
Many health systems in high-income countries contribute a higher percentage of emissions, yet low- and middle-income countries (especially rural areas) experience a greater impact from the resulting climate change. Rural areas face consequences such as food insecurity, loss of income, damaged infrastructure, increased disease transmission and disruption in access to healthcare.
Primary health care can mitigate the health system’s contribution to climate change through the provision of preventive care, reducing the demand for hospitalisation, medical products and transportation, whilst potentially also reducing medical waste. At the same time, PHC has the potential to bring quality health services closer to the people that need them, and ultimately improve progress towards UHC.
In our policy brief, Strengthening Primary Health Care for Climate Resilience and Universal Health Coverage, RHAP explores these issues in more detail and makes recommendations to invest in PHC to achieve two goals: reduce the impact of the health system on climate change and progress towards the realisation of UHC.
At the webinar, RHAP will hold discussions on this policy brief, as well as host exciting speakers on Healthcare Waste Management and Climate Resilience, and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for the Health Sector and the Role of Health Professionals in Responding to Climate and its Impact on Health.
Members of the media are invited to join the webinar:
Date: 07 November 2024
Time: 13:30 to 15:00
For media Enquiries:
Palesa Chidi
0786250511