DILI, 22 january 2025 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) will be hosting the Regional Conference on Climate Change and Health, in Dili, on 25-28 february, 2025, said WHO Representative to Timor-Leste, Arvind Mathur.
The conference will bring together international experts and stakeholders to advocate for a holistic approach to addressing climate change impacts on human health.
“It’s an overall meeting on the climate change effects on health. And how health is contributing to reducing the carbon footprints of the health sector,” Mathur told Tatoli, in Dili, today.
Climate change affects human health in many ways, including through extreme weather events, air pollution, and changes in food and water availability.
“Climate change is impacting health in a myriad of ways, including by leading to death and illness from increasingly frequent extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, storms, and floods, the disruption of food systems, increases in zoonoses and food-, water- and vector-borne diseases, and mental health issues,” according to WHO.
Mathur therefore said that the conference will bring many countries with their concepts and ideas to share and help Timor-Leste’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprints.
Representatives from the other 10 members of the WHO South-East Asia Region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand) are expected to take part in the four-day conference.
Mathur said that participants from various WHO partners and donors, the UN agency, WHO headquarters, and other WHO regional offices will also take part in the conference.
Last week, Mathur, met with the President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta, to discuss preparations for the upcoming Regional Climate Change and Health Meeting.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins