Climate change is not a new issue in global agenda, as well as environmental adverse effects on health. Climate consequences are not limited to low and middle-income countries, and Europe will not be spared in such global threat. It is expected that climate change will cause over 250000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. (1) Globally it is urgent to include a new ecological public health attitude, in which sustainability becomes part of daily practice. (2) Quality evidence is required to mitigate through inclusive strategies undeniable climate outcomes. One health through a cohesive concept, addresses environment and human health sinergically with animal welfare and veterinary medicine. By moderating consequences through multiple tactics, it is possible to achieve objectives in their whole dimension. (3)
Besides total environmental related deaths have been constant, in the last decades a shift from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases was seen both in environmental fraction and burden, translating years of development in water safety and sanitation in low and middle-income countries. By estimating burden of disease that can be attributable to environmental risks, we can predict how measures can have impact on safeguarding people’s health – population attributable fraction. The acknowledgment of which factors can be amendable is crucial to support evidence in order to locate resources in actions that have a quantifiable benefit. (4) (5)
To monitor these changes, a surveillance system that include both ecological and human health impacts is essential. It is not possible to address these issues without giving health systems an essential role on moderating climate impact on populations’ health and societies. By decreasing their not minor footprint, the sector can be an example that transformations are accessible to all, even in segments as complex as health systems. Second and more appealing to managers and business associates is that these changes can have a serious impact on systems budgets and expenses.
Remarkably, health sector can improve public health and reduce costs simultaneously. (6)
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References
- Hales, S, et al. Quantitative risk assessment of the effects of climate change on selected causes of death, 2030s and 2050s. Geneva : World Health Organization, 2014. ISBN 978 92 4 150769 1.
- Brousselle, Astrid e Butzbach, Camille. Redesigning public health for planetary health. The Lancet Planetary Health. May 2018, Vols. 2, Issue 5 , e188 – e189.
- One Health Initiative. One Health Initiative. About One Health. [Online] [Citação: 3 de May de 2018.] http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/about.php.
- Prüss-Ustün, A, et al. Preventing disease through healthy environments: A global assessment of the burden of disease from environmental risks. s.l. : World Health Organization, 2016.
- World Health Organization. Preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by reducing environmental risk factors. Geneva : s.n., 2017 (WHO/FWC/EPE/17.1). Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
- WHO’s Department of Public Health and Environment and Health Care Without Harm. Healthy Hospitals – Healthy Planet – Healthy People | Addressing climate change in health care settings – discussion draft . s.l. : World Health Organization, 2008.
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Mariana Perez Duque
Public Health Resident
Public Health Unit ACeS Porto Ocidental, ARS Norte, Portugal