PREZODE and Unitaid, in partnership with the Global Fund, co-organized a roundtable during the 28th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change, to underline the critical importance of community engagement to prevent health and climate change risks. A declaration calling for an urgent and comprehensive implementation of the One Health approach, embedding environmental issues, was signed after the event.
Harnessing the power of partnerships between communities, government, and multilateral entities is essential to put One Health in practice with community-led prevention systems and respond to negative environmental externalities. Such collaboration will save lives but also streamlines responses in a cost-efficient manner. Recognizing the interconnectedness of these sectors—climate, biodiversity, environment, animal and human health, industrial development, and finance—a call is made for innovative pathways to collaboratively address existential threats to our planet and its environment.
Roundtable Speakers
To explore solutions, PREZODE and UNITAID, in partnership with the Global Fund, organized a roundtable session with Agnes Firmin Le Bodo, Minister Delegate for Territorial Organization and Health Profession, France, HE. Khumbize Kandodo, Minister of Health, Malawi, Harley Feldbaum, Head of Strategy & Policy, The Global Fund, Marisol Touraine, Unitaid Board Chair, Papa Seck, Chair of PREZODE General Assembly, Thierry Lefrançois, One Health special advisor, CIRAD, PREZODE, Louis da Gama, Unitaid Community Representative, Nikolaj Gilbert, President and CEO, PATH, Olivia Ngou, Executive Director impact Sante Afrique Civil Society representative, Grit Schmalisch, Strategic Advisor, World Climate Foundation, Ludovic Plee, FAO, Emergency Management Centre, Dr Ailan Li, World Health Organization and David Whineray, Director of Global Health, United Kingdom.
PREZODE stressed the crucial significance of the communities’ involvement in addressing the impact of climate change and presented solutions to best engage them in reducing climate risks to health and pandemic prevention and response, in line with the One Health approach.
UNITAID delivered an overview of its strategy for climate-smart health products to adapt to climate change. The organization representatives stressed that the climate crisis forces us to rethink health products and how they are designed, produced, delivered, and disposed of. An imperative if we want to progress toward global health goals.
After the conference, PREZODE, Representatives of country members and Unitaid, signed a common statement calling for an urgent and comprehensive implementation of the One Health approach across all relevant sectors, notably environment and health systems. This statement is currently circulating among PREZODE members and stakeholders.
Read the : COP28 DECLARATION