STORY: WHO chief says climate crisis, pollution escalate disease burden
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 29, 2024
DATELINE: March 1, 2024
LENGTH: 00:00:40
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of UNEA-6 meeting in Nairobi
2. various of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaking
3. various of hospital operations in Ghana hospital (file)

STORYLINE:

The unfolding climate emergencies combined with pollution and habitat loss have worsened the disease burden, especially in the Global South, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general, on Thursday.
   
Speaking at the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) underway in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, Tedros regretted that health outcomes among communities have declined in the face of a growing ecological crisis.
   
While acknowledging that the health of humans, animals and the environment are interwoven, Tedros said the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution threatens gains achieved in containing killer ailments.

According to Tedros, climate change is behind shifts in behavior, distribution, and movement of mosquitoes, birds and other pathogen-carrying species, intensifying the spread of infectious diseases like malaria and dengue fever to new regions.

The nexus between climate change and health took center stage during the 28th UN climate talks held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, in November and December 2023.
   
Tedros said that last year's global climate talks reaffirmed the urgency to reenergize climate action through mitigation and adaptation to secure a healthier and more resilient future for humanity.
   
The WHO has so far partnered with member states to speed up the implementation of guidelines focusing on the environmental dimension of health including air quality, clean water and proper nutrition, Tedros said. He stressed that multilateral action is urgent to end plastic pollution, transform food systems and avert the movement of hazardous waste to boost human health.
   
In addition, Tedros said that transforming transport systems and ensuring they attain zero-emission targets will be key to taming the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)