Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has called on the ‘world’s biggest emitters’ to invest more in mitigating their contribution to the climate crisis in which least-developed countries such as Malawi are bearing the brunt.
In her opinion piece published in The Guardian on Monday, Chiponda pointed out that major emitters must invest more in adaptation efforts, especially in global health, to aid countries already facing severe climate impacts.
According to the minister, people most affected by extreme weather and climate events in places such as Malawi and across Africa are the least responsible for the climate crisis.
“Those affected live in communities with the least capacity to adapt and counter climate impacts, are mostly in countries with a high disease burden,” she wrote.
In the wake of the 79th UN General Assembly, Chiponda took the opportunity to urge wealthy nations to step up efforts to safeguard health systems by taking measures to prevent climate-sensitive diseases in countries most affected.
But despite the challenges, Chiponda pointed out that the Malawi government is implementing measures to address the climate impacts on health such as “hiring health workers, building more health centres, and bringing health services closer to those in need such as mobile clinics.”
Malawi has experienced climate shocks in recent years. Cyclone Freddy, which struck last year, claimed over 600 lives, while this year’s drought forced President Dr Lazarus Chakwera to declare a national disaster in March.
