Doctors seek plan to protect from climate change

NEW DELHI - The World Medical Association (WMA) Saturday proposed a plan here to minimise the risk of increased malnutrition deaths, diseases and injuries due to climate change.

The WMA, a conglomerate of medical associations around the world, in its general assembly adopted a declaration that warns: “Severe changes in weather patterns would lead to increased malnutrition and suffering from heat waves, droughts, fires and floods, and greater health inequalities throughout the world.”

The assembly approved a new plan - entitled the Declaration of Delhi - to bring health to the forefront of the climate change debate and to mitigate the serious health risks facing the world.

The WMA has demanded specific measures which include designated funds for developing countries to strengthen health systems, sustainable development and green adaptation practices, especially the right to safe water and sewage disposal for all.

In addition, WMA members felt that the numbers of public healthcare workers needed to be raised and emergency planning improved.

“National medical associations and physicians should be fully involved in the development of national and local plans to prepare for climate emergencies, including initiatives to stop privatisation of water,” the WMA forum said.

It also said that studies should be undertaken on diseases caused by global warming, on the effects of poorly treated wastewater used for irrigation on the impact on the most vulnerable populations and that governments should plan for environmental refugees within and between countries.

Edward Hill, WMA chairman, said: “The WMA strongly believes that the contribution of physicians is indispensable if we are to minimise the health risks facing us all. But if governments continue to regard health as a secondary issue when it discusses climate change, it will be a disaster for us all.”

Ruth Collins-Nakai, from the Canadian Medical Association, who chaired the WMAs climate change working party, stressed on the need to recognise initiatives for climate change linked to improving public health.

Collins-Nakai said: “We should recognise that most initiatives which improve the impact of climate change also improve individual and population health - that what is good for the environment is also good for health. So, for example, if we can protect safe water supplies, develop sewage disposal and prevent the privatisation of water, we also significantly improve the health of populations.