2 Million Ghanaians at Risk of Climate Vulnerability

     Official launch of the Baseline Report

A Joint Baseline Report on climate impact and other related health risks has exposed Ghana's vulnerability to food insecurity faced by more than 400 thousand people with two million more at risk.

 Dubbed “Climate and Health Vulnerability Assessment" CHVA for Ghana, the Report further revealed how climate change is having a serious toll on Public Health as a result of issues related to heat, air pollution and infectious diseases including malaria.

At the launch of the Research Findings in Accra, Lead Author of CHVA, Prof. Mawuli Dzodzomenyo, said the magnitude of climate impact on health calls for regular conduct of national and sub-national climate and health vulnerability assessment among other interventions to close the gaps in adaptive capacities. 

The World Bank sponsored project was jointly conducted by some key academic research fellows drawn from the University of Ghana, KNUST, University of Energy and Natural Resources and the University of Environment and Sustainable Development. 

The outcome of the study outlined some dimensions of direct and indirect climate change impact on health and examined the vulnerabilities of communities hardly hit by the increased frequency of extreme weather events. 

It identified gaps and risks to the country's health sector and provided some recommended policy actions for adaption. 

One of the key highlights is the stark reality faced by communities and section of the population hardly hit by climate vulnerabilities. 

These individuals, according to Prof. Dzodzomenyo are disproportionately affected by adverse health outcome and underscored the critical need to strengthen primary healthcare infrastructure, promote workforce capacity and integrate climate considerations into health policies and programs.

Lead Author of CHVA, Prof. Mawuli Dzodzomenyo

Launching the report, the Dean of Public Health, University of Ghana, Prof Kwasi Torpey said the wanton destruction of the environment through human activities is destroying the entire ecosystem. He advocated for a collective but strong adaptive action to address the shortcomings.

Section of Participants 

In her opening remark, the Sustainable Development Program Leader at the World Bank, Naila Ahmed urged participants to embrace the report and support efforts at promoting a climate-resilient health sector. 

Issues of climate financing, and the lack of attention to strategies for reducing the health effects of climate on vulnerable groups came to fore for discussion.  

Source: Isaac Asare (GBC)