Nigeria Health Watch Hosts 10th Anniversary Future of Health Conference
Upcoming Conference to Address Climate Change and Health in Nigeria
Nigeria Health Watch Conference: Tackling Climate Change’s Impact on Health
BY SHEKWOPEYELO
Nigeria Health Watch announces its 10th Future of Health Conference. The event, titled “From Evidence to Action: Building Resilience at the Climate-Health Nexus,” is scheduled for October 24, 2024. It will bring together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the urgent link between climate change and health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called climate change one of humanity’s most serious health threats. This conference aims to raise awareness of climate change’s health impacts in Nigeria and Africa. It will also emphasize the need for climate-resilient health systems and encourage collaboration across sectors.
Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, said, “As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Future of Health Conference, we are focusing on the link between climate change and health. This growing threat demands immediate attention. By bringing together thought leaders and advocates, we aim to stimulate dialogue and solutions that highlight climate change’s urgent health impacts.”
The conference will cover three core topics. These include the link between climate and nutrition, building climate-resilient health systems, and public-private-community collaborations to tackle the climate-health crisis. According to the World Economic Forum, floods impacted over 1.6 billion people worldwide from 2000 to 2020. In Nigeria, floods affected 4.4 million people in 2022, including 2.6 million children.
A key highlight of this year’s conference is the Youth Pre-Conference on October 23, 2024. This pre-event will gather young people from across Africa. They will share insights and showcase youth-led initiatives addressing the health impacts of climate change. Participants can become climate-health youth champions, empowered to amplify discussions in their communities.
The main event will also feature three side events. These will address climate change’s impact on maternal health, explore financing solutions for climate and health initiatives, and discuss strategies for building resilient health systems.
Keynote speakers include Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, and Tamer Samah Rabie, Global Program Lead for Climate and Health at the World Bank. The conference will also have panel discussions with diverse thought leaders. Attendees can expect evidence exhibitions showcasing real-world data and parallel sessions for deeper exploration of the themes.
Chibuike Alagboso, Deputy Director of Media Programmes at Nigeria Health Watch, shared hopes for the conference outcomes: “We aim to champion solutions and advocate for policies that prioritize the health of communities most affected by environmental changes. By highlighting the climate-health connection, we aspire to inspire collective action. Our goal is to drive investment in climate-resilient health systems and improve long-term health outcomes across Nigeria.”
This milestone edition builds on previous conference successes. Past events have tackled essential health sector issues, such as Universal Health Coverage, the diaspora’s role in reversing brain drain, and the private sector’s contributions to a resilient health system. The 2024 conference is set to drive transformative actions. It will promote sustainable healthcare solutions and strengthen health systems against the growing impacts of climate change.
