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The Okavango Research Institute (ORI) hosted a two-day Climate Change and Health Security Symposium, themed “Advancing Climate Change and Health Security in Botswana,” from the 20th to the 21st February 2024.  The symposium was aimed at creating a platform for dialogue and action at the intersection of climate change and public health.

The Chairperson of the Symposium, Dr Vincent Pagiwa highlighted the increasing health threats posed by climate change in Botswana. He pointed out that the country was experiencing frequent heatwaves which have led to a rise in cardiovascular diseases particularly among the elderly. Dr Pagiwa noted that severe floods and a surge in climate-sensitive infectious diseases such as malaria in the Okavango region, were putting immense strain on the healthcare system. He emphasised that strengthening health system resilience through multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary research collaborations was crucial in mitigating these challenges.

Meanwhile Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Enterprise, Professor Doreen Ramogola-Masire, acknowledged the efforts of the Climate Health Africa Network for Collaboration and Engagement (CHANCE Network) - an initiative established by the University of Botswana (UB) in 2022. Professor Ramogola-Masire explained that the network facilitated dialogue between health researchers, meteorological services, and climate scientists across Africa, helping to identify research gaps, priority areas and effective interventions.

“We have invited you together with our collaborators to showcase the cutting-edge national research efforts that can be closely incorporated into uniquely tailored adaptation and mitigation strategies for the country's health systems towards achieving optimum health security,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Lawrence Ookeditse, underscored the Government’s commitment to including climate change in national security strategies. He highlighted the need for continued collaboration in tackling climate-related health risks and called for greater focus on mental health and overall citizen well-being as part of climate adaptation efforts.

For his part, Dr Fabian Ndenkazako, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative said Climate change contributed directly to humanitarian emergencies. He added that Climate-related health emergencies were on the rise in Africa, accounting for more than half of public health events recorded in the region over the past two decades

Dr Ndenkazako added that WHO adopted a “One Health and All Hazards” approach to climate-related public health events. An approach based on the premise that human, animal and ecosystem health was interconnected and required a coordinated approach to tackle and resolve the challenges.

In addition, she said the symposium assessed challenges and proposed evidence-based solutions with an array of climate and health experts from various countries such as south Africa, Ghana and Mozambique to name a few.