Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The district task force for the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has decided to strengthen the coordination between different departments to ensure activities for pulling down the hazards of climate change on human health.
During the meeting of the district task force under the chairmanship of collector Ilayaraja T, held on Monday, the officials of agriculture, transport, PHE, animal husbandry, education, revenue, finance, law, and other departments were directed to coordinate with each other to make joint efforts to prevent the effects of climate change on human health.
“All the departments will share their activities while the health department will work to learn about the impact on health and improvements after the efforts by the departments. PSM department of MGM Medical College will conduct the research over which we will act to control the menace of climate change,” NPCCHH nodal officer Dr Amit Malakar said.
He had also given a presentation and spoke about the required coordination between the departments for the same.
The NPCCHH was launched by the ministry of health and family welfare and is monitored by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“Various steps for pulling down the effects on climate change are already being taken by the civic body and other departments, such as IMC is working on cleanliness and development of Asia’s biggest bio-CNG plant, traffic police acting against polluting vehicles and motivating people to switch their engines off at signals, and the Pollution Control Board acting against industries spreading pollution,” Dr Malakar said, adding, “In the series, we’ll educate departments and people about the effects on health and the ways to prevent it.”
The health officer had raised concern over increasing incidents of respiratory diseases as signs of the impact of climate change on health.
Objectives Of Programme
To create awareness among the general population (vulnerable community), healthcare providers and policy-makers regarding impacts of climate change on human health
To strengthen capacity of healthcare system to reduce illnesses/ diseases due to variability in climate
To strengthen health preparedness and response by performing situational analysis at national/ state/ district/ sub-district levels
To develop partnerships and create synchrony/ synergy with other missions and ensure that health is adequately represented in the climate change agenda in the country
To strengthen research capacity to fill the evidence gap on climate change's impact on human health
