Lancet Countdown on Health & Climate Change Local Launch Event 2021 in Bangladesh
Panelist calls for urgent action to tackle the health impacts of climate change amid the pandemic
The health impacts of climate change are getting worse, pushing diverse communities towards uncertainties related to food and water security, natural disasters and the spread of infectious diseases, as stated by the recent Lancet report. The Lancet Countdown is an international, multidisciplinary collaboration of researchers from 43 academic institutions and United Nations agencies that independently monitors the health consequences of a changing climate and publishes its findings in an annual report. On 21 October 2021, through a virtual event, the 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: code red for a healthy future was launched. This year the report tracks 44 indicators of health impacts that are directly linked to climate change, across five key thematic groups including climate change impacts, exposures and vulnerability; adaptation planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement.
In Bangladesh, a local launch event was organised by the Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka & the Co-organisers were the Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh Jeeon Bangladesh and Public Health Foundation, Bangladesh (PHF, BD). This event contextualised the findings of the 2021 Lancet Countdown Report in the context of Bangladesh, bringing together leading academics and policymakers with wide-ranging experience and expertise. The event was graced by Dr. Md. Tajuddin Sikder, PhD, Chairman & Associate Professor, Department of Public Health & Informatics, Jahangirnagar University as the Chair of the event. Professor Dr. Nawzia Yasmin, Dean, School of Health Sciences, Professor & Head, Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh was the chief guest & Professor Elizabeth Robinson, Director, The Grantham Research Institute, London School of Economics & Political Sciences; WG1 Lead, The Lancet Countdown attended the event as the special guest. Dr Shouro Dasgupta, PhD, Researcher, Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change presented the Lancet 2021 report as the keynote speaker. The panelists were Professor Saleemul Huq, Director, International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), Rubayat Khan, CEO, Jeeon, Dr. Senjuti Saha, PhD, Microbiologist & Scientists, Child Health Research Foundation, Bangladesh & Dr M Tasdik Hasan, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh and Research Lead, Jeeon Bangladesh moderated the event. Sohanur Rahman, a young climate activist from Youth Net Bangladesh shared his experiences from the COP2021 Glasgow.
The key note speaker mentioned that key trends are getting worse across every indicator, affecting people in all corners of the world.
The 2021 report reveals, above all, the deepening inequities of health impacts from climate change. Whereas general human exposure to health hazards associated with climate change has risen and adaptation measures have so far proven insufficient, the most vulnerable population is the worst impacted, with climate change aggravating existing inequalities. The report said during a 6-month period in 2020, 51.6 million people were impacted by 84 disasters from floods, droughts, and storms in countries already struggling with the coronavirus pandemic.
“The 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown finds a world overwhelmed by an ongoing global health crisis, which has made little progress to protect its population from the simultaneously aggravated health impacts of climate change,” the keynote speaker mentioned.
Rubayat Khan from Jeeon pointed to a very important missing factor that is effective community engagement to aware rural population to tackle health impacts of climate change. He said, community engagement is low & no sustainable action plans including key stakeholders including the formal & informal health care providers are available whereas 70% of rural population are dependent on them as primary contacts to deal with their daily health issues. He indicated that rural medical Practitioners (RMPs), village doctors can be trained on the issue. Rubayat also stressed on innovative digital climate trackers for prompt action specially during early warning periods.
The Chair, Dr Tajuddin quoted from the report that, directing the trillions of dollars committed to COVID-19 recovery towards the WHO’s prescriptions for a healthy, green recovery, could simultaneously help the world achieve their goals in line with the Paris Agreement, protect natural systems to support wellbeing, and diminish inequalities through reduced health impacts and maximized co-benefits of a universal low-carbon transition. He also indicated that in a low resource country like Bangladesh, coordinated actions are needed.
The panelists of the event, unanimously call for urgent, globally coordinated, locally tailored action to mitigate climate change and build a healthier, sustainable future for all.
Submitted by
Dr. M Tasdik Hasan
Research Lead, Jeeon Bangladesh Ltd.
Further Actions
· Visit the Lancet Countdown 2021 website to read the thematic summaries and key findings of the report.
· Access the full-text Lancet Countdown 2021 report and related articles and resources on the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change website.
· Watch the recording: Regional launch events for the 2021 report — Lancet Countdown
