Atlas of Health and Climate is published
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The United Nations, together with the World Meteorological Organization and the World Meteorological Organization, presented the first "Atlas of Health and Climate".
The document contains graphs, maps and tables that clearly show how climate change can affect human health.
"Continuing climatic changes are provoking a growing danger to human health. The climate has a big impact on the survival of people and on their health, "says Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. - Meteorological services can reduce this danger and improve people's lives. The basis of health care is threat preparedness and risk management. Information on climate variability and changes is a powerful scientific tool that helps us in solving these problems. "
Climate variability and extreme situations, such as droughts and floods, can cause epidemics of diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, meningitis and dengue, millions of people can suffer and millions will not survive, the developers emphasize. And Atlas will help prevent such situations - it provides practical examples of how, by using information and preparedness for a disaster, people's lives can be saved and their health protected.
Experts cite as an example that in some countries incidence rates of infectious diseases can change - decrease and increase more than a hundredfold. It depends on the season and varies depending on the weather and climate conditions in different years.
If to ensure the normal functioning of meteorological services in endemic countries, this will help predict the offensive, the level of intensity and even the duration of epidemics, comment scientists.
Also, experts say that an important aspect is the protection of people in the period of extreme temperatures. The periods of extreme heat are a threat, especially for the elderly.
The new development will help health organizations to focus on the threat and quickly respond to climate change.
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