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The World Health Organization chose the theme “Protecting
Health from Climate Change” as the theme for the World Health Day this year,
to stress the need for an urgent response to the potential global crisis
arising from the inevitable health consequences of climate change. In his
message on the day on April 7, the WHO Regional Director, Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, said
that it is vital for the health sector to prepare for the challenges posed by
climate change. “Climate change is here, and it is here to stay. Effective
action to protect human health from climate change can be achieved with
stronger and well coordinated national health systems that give priority to
climate-sensitive diseases-notably at the primary level.”
Describing this challenge as “possibly the biggest that
humanity has ever had to confront”, Dr Plianbangchang
emphasized that the first step is to raise awareness and public understanding
of the health consequences of climate change.
In the World Health Report 2002, WHO stated that climate
change was estimated to be responsible for approximately 2.4 per cent of
worldwide diarrhea and six per cent of malaria in some middle income countries.
According to WHO, India is recording an increased
temperature of 0.68 degree centrigate per century.
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