Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia’s Post

Here's to building equitable, low-carbon, sustainable, and climate-resilient healthcare systems together as one global community! 🏣🌏 On October 30 - November 01, 2024, over 300 participants from 27 countries, including representatives from 10 Ministries of Health, convened for the International Scientific Conference on Climate Change and Health and the 6th Asia-Pacific Green Healthcare System Conference in Hai Phong, Viet Nam. With the theme “Transforming Asian Health Systems: A Vision for Equitable, Low-Carbon, Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Healthcare,” the conference had an overall objective of building a stronger leadership and broader movement for healthcare climate action across Asia. The conference set the stage for global climate and health leaders to address some of the most pressing climate change challenges facing Asian healthcare today, providing a collaborative platform to drive solutions and actions led by and for local communities. The three-day event was organized by Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia (HCWH SEA) in partnership with the Viet Nam Health Environment Management Agency (VIHEMA) and hosted by Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy (HPMU) under Viet Nam’s Ministry of Health. Key partners included leading global health and development partners, such as UNICEF Viet Nam, UNDP in Viet Nam, Asian Development Bank (ADB), FHI 360, and the Trung tâm Nghiên cứu và Phát triển Môi trường sức khỏe-CHERAD. #ClimateHealthCon2024 #GHAC2024 #6thGHAC — Videography & Editing: 16 STUDIO (https://16studio.vn/) Credit for clip 00:00-00:03: Amazing Things in Vietnam

I was invited to attend the Climate and Health Regional Dialogue in Bangkok hosted by L'Initiative - Expertise France and APCASO, where I had the privilege to engage with regional experts on how we can use data and technology to address the critical intersection climate and health, ensuring that we protect the people, the environment and animals. A key takeaway from this conference was the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and coordiantion, and how we may build local leadership that prioritizes climate and health issues as an immediate need to prepare us for the future. I thought about the work we are currently doing with UNFPA and Legal Aid Society - Pakistan in Pakistan, and how since 2021, we have been successful in steering a multisectoral coordination body for GBV, and the significant wins it has brought forward. How we have consistently managed to have resources allocated for improving GBV response and how govt bodies that never spoke to each other are coming together to build holistic responses. This work led to the development of the district coordination mechanisms where we have our women climate leaders representing the one health agenda in the districts we work in. All this reminded me of what I love most about my work and my team. Our ability to be responsive and creative with our lessons and successes. Our models are not centered on themes, but are practical solutions that are malleable to situations. We are agile and flexible and it comes through in how we mould our best practices to fit the needs of those we serve. As always, I come back, brimming with excitement on how those learnings and conversations in Bangkok can strengthen the work here in Pakistan. #OneHealth #ClimateChange #PublicHealth #PathfinderInternational

🇮🇩 Indonesia takes #climateaction to strengthen its health systems through the collaborative efforts of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, UNDP Indonesia, World Health Organization, and funding of GCF. Indonesia will utilise climate-smart strategies to establish low-carbon, sustainable national health systems that protect both the environment and population health. Read more ➡ g.cf/3UG8nTT #HealthForAll

Sustainability in health

From the halls of the European Commission in Brussels to the headquarters of the FAO in Rome, I recently had the privilege of engaging in two high-level events that enriched my understanding of global policies and the impact of youth voices in these spaces. • Global Gateway High-Level Youth Event, Brussels Having worked on an EU Commission project last semester, witnessing its operations firsthand was surreal. The event underscored the EU’s commitment to placing ‘youth at the centre’ of international partnerships through the Youth Action Plan and its three pillars: #engage, #empower, and #connect. As Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, expressed, “Young people represent hope.” Hailing from India, a country with a high proportion of youth population, I felt the power and responsibility of bringing youth perspectives to the table on challenges that demand immediate solutions. • World Food Forum, FAO Headquarters, Rome Just a week later, I found myself at the FAO headquarters in Rome for the World Food Forum where I attended the High-Level Rome Water Dialogue on WASAG (Water Scarcity in Agriculture). Witnessing the adoption of the Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity https://lnkd.in/gr9iV6yr felt personal, as it connected with my experience working to improve water access for smallholder farmers in marginalized communities. As Alvaro Lario, Chair, UN-Water and President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), emphasized, “How we manage the water and food nexus now will either underpin or undermine global public health, peace, and prosperity.” Deliberations among heads of state and policymakers at the forum highlighted the delicate balance required in crafting policies that translate effectively to ground-level action. This was reinforced by examples of local innovation in sustainable agri-food systems, from family farming practices to community-driven solutions. These experiences have reaffirmed my belief in the importance of aligning grassroots efforts with policy-level actions. Connecting with peers and discussing how collaboration and innovation can drive resilient, inclusive systems that uplift voices often left unheard; that’s my key takeaway. #youthleadstheway #youthactionplan #globalgateway #eucommission #worldfoodforum #romewaterdialogue #romedeclarationonwaterscarcity #fao

Sustainability and international development go hand in hand, requiring solutions that fit local needs. One of our recent projects focused on the climate-health nexus, showcasing this connection. The goal was to strengthen Africa’s health systems to tackle challenges like rising disease burdens, extreme weather, and resource scarcity caused by climate change. We developed a strategic framework and trained key staff, creating the foundation for climate-resilient health systems. These systems will integrate climate adaptation into health policies, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency response capabilities. To achieve this, a sustainability lens is important-bringing together stakeholders, fostering cooperation, and ensuring efficient use of resources. By training local professionals to address climate-related health risks, the project highlights how sustainability and international development work together to create long-term, impactful solutions that strengthen both health systems and environmental resilience. World Health Organization African Region, The Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, Global Climate and Health Alliance, Africa CDC, African Public Health Network, HEALTH AND CLIMATE FOUNDATION (THE), AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT , Environmental Health Project #ClimateHealth #HealthAndClimate #ClimateResilience #SustainabilityAndInternationalDevelopment #SustainableDevelopment #SustainabilityInHealth #ClimateChangeAfrica #ClimateImpact #ClimateAdaptation #PublicHealthAfrica #ClimateAction #ClimateJustice #ClimateChangeSolutions #AfricanResilience #ResilientAfrica 

🦠 Day 5 of our "I #GoBlue for #AMR" Video Campaign. Today, Bill Whilson Baljon, a member of our Health Diplomacy Youth Network and former Chairperson of IPSF Asia Pacific Regional Office (IPSF APRO), highlights the crucial role of youth in driving change in global health and combating antimicrobial resistance. He emphasizes the importance of discussing innovative solutions, educating communities, and advocating for responsible practices and multisectoral collaboration. 🎥 Watch how youth leaders like Bill Wilson Baljon are shaping the fight against #AMR with innovation, education, and advocacy!   If you would like to join and learn more about the Network: https://lnkd.in/e5wm8dY6    Learn more about the video:  https://lnkd.in/dY4sdcRe   World Health Organization FAO United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) World Organisation for Animal Health IPSF - International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation IPSF Asia Pacific Regional Office (IPSF APRO) #GoBlue #AMR #HealthDiplomacy #WAAW #AntimicrobialResistance #Antifungals #Antivirals #Antiparasitics #Antibiotics

United Nations Général Assembly (UNGA) High Level Meeting Week. Read more…. Including on the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance #AMR to be held on 26 September. A critical moment in #globalhealth #SDGs #2030 #infectionprevention #WASH #stewardship

The Indigenous Determinants of Health Alliance (IDHA) is thrilled to announce we have joined the Planetary Health Alliance (PHA)! With a focus on advocating for systemic change through the adoption of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; Indigenous Determinants of Health (IDH) Framework, we are excited to align with PHA to promote sustainability and address the interconnectedness of Planetary Health and Indigenous Health. Our work, including the 2023 IDH Study chapter on The Health of Mother Earth, emphasizes the vital relationship between human health and the environment, biodiversity, and all living beings. Additionally, the 2024 Study provides essential guidelines for agencies to support Indigenous Rights to care for our lands and the environment. Joining PHA's diverse global network of over 400 organizations and universities, we are committed to addressing the impacts of environmental change on human health. We are looking forward to collaborating with PHA at the upcoming Convention on Biological Diversity meetings in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1, 2024. #EnvironmentalChange #HumanHealth #PlanetaryHealthAlliance #IndigenousHealth #Sustainability #GlobalCollaboration

To get the latest status on #SDG16 indicators come to the launch of the 2nd Global Progress Report on #SDG16 -