In a Western Pacific first, the World Health Organization (WHO) supporting the Fijian Ministry for Health and Medical Services, with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has completed a climate hazard and vulnerability assessment of 205 healthcare facilities. The goal of the assessment is to help determine which facilities are most at risk so that they can be prioritised for upgrades.
It has been a big but necessary undertaking, one which Dr Jun Gao, WHO South Pacific Officer-in-Charge, will attest to: “Identifying and finding those facilities most at risk from flooding and other climate-related events is crucial to the health and wellbeing of the Fijian people. As the climate continues to change and more climate-related events occur, we need health facilities to continue to be operational at all times – especially in the wake of disasters when they are needed most.”
Over 25 health care facilities have been identified as being located near vulnerabilities such as shorelines and riverbanks, with a least one laboratory identified for renovation. These efforts are part of a joint undertaking by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, WHO and KOICA called “Strengthening Health Adaptation Project: Responding to Climate Change in Fiji” (SHAPE project).
WHO and Ministry of Health and Medical Services staff assess the climate hazard and vulnerability of a health facility in Rotuma, Fiji. Photo: WHO/Temalesi Vakaotia
Several events have exposed Fiji’s vulnerabilities over the last few years, including cyclones, rising sea levels, unpredictable rainfall patterns, flash flooding, droughts, and loss of potable drinking water due to saltwater intrusion. These lead to climate sensitive diseases as well as increasing mortality and injuries sustained during and after extreme weather-related events.
To limit future damage to health infrastructure, and to ensure the continuation of health services, there is a need to focus efforts on those facilities such as the Fiji Centre for Disease Control National Public Health Laboratory in Suva and the Nailaga Health Centre which are most at risk of further damage in the wake of more climate-related events.
Guidance such as Fiji’s National Guidelines for Climate Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable Health Care Facilities (CRESHCF), is available to help communities adapt and upskill to help strengthen population-wide resilience to the climate crisis. Based on the World Health Organization’s ‘Guidance for Climate Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable Health Care Facilities’ this was the first guidance of its kind in the region.
“The SHAPE project (2019-2024) with a budget of USD6.41 million will protect the health of Fijians from the adverse impacts of climate change. This project is in line with KOICA’s priority sectors for Fiji i.e Green Islands and Healthy Islands,” says Mr. Kapchae Ra, Country Director of KOICA Fiji Office.
“KOICA will continue to work with the Fijian Government and multilateral organisations to promote climate resilient health systems.”
Dr Gao supports this work: “We commend Fiji for showing the rest of the Pacific, and the world, a path forward to more climate resilient health systems. Furthermore, prioritising facilities for upgrades is essential in the wider context of possible future environmental disasters, when such resilient facilities will be needed most.”
WHO staff, including WHO Representative to the South Pacific Mark Jacobs (right), visit Nailaga Health Centre in Ba, Fiji. Photo: WHO/Jason Chute