Consultation on Health National Adaptation Plan held in Jamaica

Jamaica: Officials from Health Organisations namely, the World Health Organisation (WHO)/ Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Ministry of Health and wellness- European Union (EU), met at the Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) Stakeholder Consultation on June 20 & 21, in Kingston, to address the issue of critical impact of climate change on Public Health System of Jamaica.

This two-day consultation basically focused on the urgent need for impactful strategies to overcome the health-related issues and challenges brought upon by the climatic changes on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), recognising the issue as one of 21^st century’s foremost health threat. Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, the Chief Medical Officer, on her part addressed the fact that the health sector marks as one of the significant contributors to the emission of greenhouse gas and thus the exposure to climatic hazards by health facilities has drastically increased.

She also added that the Ministry of Health and Wellness have taken actions to tackle the condition and asked officials and personals of the health sector to make increased action for the betterment of climatic conditions. One of the top agenda items of the meet was The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Caribbean Readiness Proposal which addresses the need to upgrade the HNAP and to strengthen resilience.

There is a range of activities in the HNAP process, from vulnerability assessments to monitoring outcomes. All of these designed to build a strengthened health care infrastructure that shall be capable enough to face various climate related challenges. The Head of the Cooperation of the European Union Delegation in Kingston, Aniceto Rodrigues Ruiz congratulated the government for taking such impeccable steps towards integration of health and climate policy.

The Jamaica Country Representative, Ian Stein said that the HNAP carries on a vital role in developing climate-resilient health systems which can anticipate, absorbing and transforming in response to the impacts of climate. He further stated that Jamaica will do its best to control and cut short the emission of greenhouse gas in the health sector and is currently developing its HNAP and will identify any vulnerability in the process, all of these under the Green Climate Fund Caribbean Readiness Project.

Jamaica happens to be one of the 10 Caribbean countries supported under the PAHO/EU/CARIFORUM, thus strengthening the health systems in Caribbean for improvement of the HNAP. On finalization, the HNAP report shall present valued recommendations focused on the information of the development of policies, strategies and programs that will eventually help the countries to adapt to the relevant changes.