EB144 – 5.6 Health, environment and climate change – WMA

THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
L’ASSOCIATION MEDICALE MONDIALE, INC
ASOCIACION MEDICA MUNDIAL, INC
Centre International de Bureaux FEIN : 13-2566243
Immeuble A « Keynes » Website : www.wma.net Postal Address :
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01210 FERNEY-VOLTAIRE Fax : (33) 4 50 40 59 37 01210 FERNEY-VOLTAIRE Cedex
France E-mail address : wma@wma.net France
144th EB Session
5.6 Health, environment and climate change
Distinguished Delegates,
Thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the World Medical Association, which
represents 9 million physicians around the world.
Recognising WHO’s leadership role on health and climate change, we welcome its draft global
strategy, in particular the proposal to address the wide spectrum of climate change impact on health
through cross-sectoral action on determinants of health in all policies (Objective 2). We consider
though that much greater emphasis should be placed on the 2 following key policy areas:
• Trade and economic policies, in particular trade agreements, should protect, promote and
prioritize public health over commercial interests and secure services in the public interest,
including those impacting on health and environment.
• Agriculture and food systems’ transformations (food safety and quality) due to climate
change, have a pervasive impact on health, low-income producers and consumers of food being
the most exposed.
Furthermore, we welcome the objective 3 to strengthen health sector leadership and governance and
recommend developing further on ways to equip and educate the health workforce, including
physicians, to promote a better environment, address patients’ needs, and transmit health knowledge
regarding environmental risks to policy-makers, the media and communities.
Finally, we would like to reiterate our concern regarding health resources required to empower the
health sector in addressing climate change challenges. While primary prevention is essential, it does
not replace curative care, rehabilitation and palliative care. We are therefore concerned by WHO’s
proposed action for “a rebalancing of health sector expenditure towards primary prevention over the
long term”1
, which could ultimately impact negatively on the people. We call for solid additional
resources to empower the health sector.
Thank you
1
Draft Strategy, parag. 24