Botswana has conducted a Climate Change Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment in selected districts in a proactive move to address the challenges posed by climate change.
The assessment, commissioned by the Ministry of Health, aimed to identify high-risk areas and vulnerable populations affected by climate change, and to strengthen the country’s health sector in effectively responding to climate-related impacts.
According to the Botswana country office of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the objective of the assessment was to provide evidence-based insights to inform policies and guide the development of the National Health Adaptation Plan (H-NAP).
The assessment report, based on climate scenarios, indicates that Botswana is highly vulnerable to climate change.
“It highlights that key economic sectors will face increasing risks unless effective adaptation and mitigation measures are implemented,” WHO said on Monday.
The report underscores the impact of climate change on health through multiple pathways, including extreme weather events, air pollution, food insecurity and the spread of waterborne and climate-sensitive diseases.
These challenges are expected to place growing pressure on Botswana’s health system, necessitating urgent action.
The findings offer a critical baseline for monitoring changes in disease risks, outbreaks, and preventive measures while strengthening the understanding of the linkages between climate change and health.
With seed funding from the Wellcome Trust, WHO’s country office recruited a consultant to assess both current and projected climate change impacts on health, malnutrition, and disease burden in Botswana.
The assessment examined direct effects, environmentally mediated impacts, and socially mediated influences using available data.
It also analysed health system vulnerabilities, adaptation capacities, and at-risk populations, with a focus on children, gender and equity.
JN/APA