Kenya’s ministry of Health and the Netherlands Ministry of health, welfare and sports have announced partnership on climate change and health issues in response to the threat of climate change, the most serious hazard to global health.
According to a press release statement sent to media outlets by the Ministry of Health Kenya and the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport of the Netherlands, both ministries will move forward in 2024- 2025 with the implementation of their joint initiatives and will work together on climate and health issues affecting both countries through the partnership.
“Building on the momentum from COP28, we commit to taking concrete action to address climate change and health issues,” stated the press release
The intended collaborative efforts will include the conducting of Climate Change and Health Vulnerability and Adaptation (V&A) Assessment, developing guidelines for environmentally sustainable and green healthcare facilities, facilitating knowledge exchange between the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands (RIVM) and the National Public Health Institute of Kenya (NPHI).
Partnership between the two countries intends to facilitate knowledge exchange on organizing the health sector in order to be more climate-resilient and sustainable. It will also connect expertise and initiatives within both countries, like Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
“The partnership will also advocate for the implementation of the WHA resolution on Climate Change and Health to strengthen climate resilient and sustainable healthcare systems, both nationally and internationally.”
The main goal of the collaboration is to be able to learn from each other, inspire one another, and work together to achieve a sustainable future. Both ministries also assured that there will be a detailed implementation plan that will outline all the planned activities in order to ensure a structured approach to achieving our objectives of the truce.
“This announcement outlines our intention to follow the implementation plan that will soon be finalized. Our work will be evidence-based and we will seek to involve civil society, youth and other relevant non-governmental actors, where appropriate, to bolster the impact of our partnership.”
Both sides demonstrated their commitment to taking tangible action, and they think that by working together, they can make considerable progress in addressing climate change and health concerns in both nations and regions.
“Together, we can create a healthier, more resilient future for all.”
