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A16 LOCAL
Tuesday 2 May 2017
Regional Experts Lay Groundwork for Roadmap on Climate Change and Health

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA - Professor and Chair of the
Recognized by the World Department of Global En-
Health Organization, as vironmental Health Sci-
one of the greatest threats ences at Tulane University,
to human health and School of Public Health and
the environment, climate Tropical Medicine, who co-
change can affect safe chaired the expert panel
drinking water, secure shel- with Dr. C. James Hosped-
ter, sufficient food in the ales.
Caribbean region. The multi-sectoral panel
While emissions of green- with regional and interna-
house gases from the Ca- tional experts is tasked with
ribbean region are negli- developing a Caribbean-
gible, they are likely to lead wide, systems-driven stra-
to regional climate change tegic roadmap on climate
and rise of sea level that change and health. Ar-
may threaten the existence eas of emphasis include a
of several small islands and In the photo from left to right, Mr Indranauth Haralsingh, Director Guyana Tourism Authority; Dr Lisa gap analysis, stakeholders,
countries with low lying Indar, Head CARPHA Regional Tourism and Health Programme; Dr C. James Hospedales, Execu- research and training, im-
tive Director CARPHA; Dr Karen Cummings, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health; and Dr
coasts. Shamdeo Persad Chief Medical Officer Ministry of Public Health. pact on health and eco-
To address the public nomic development.
health issues related to Georgetown. ly important to develop “The health of communi- The meeting took place on
the anticipated climate “The many connections a roadmap on Climate ties is inextricably linked to the eve of CARPHA’s 62nd
change in the Caribbean between climate change Change and Health for the health of the environ- Health Research Confer-
region, an Expert Panel was and health and the pro- countries, regional institu- ment. Our communities in ence which takes place
convened by the Caribbe- found implications of the tion and international part- the Caribbean will be dis- from April 27 – 29 in Guy-
an Public Health Agency change for Caribbean ners. It is consistent with the proportionately impacted ana. Discussions included
(CARPHA) in collabora- countries for food and wa- leadership role CARICOM by Climate Change, hence the groundwork for strate-
tion with Tulane University, ter security, proliferation of countries have played in we need to integrate our gic priorities as pillars of the
School of Public Health climate-sensitive vectors of the global climate change assets and urgently ad- roadmap and strategies to
and Tropical Medicine. disease, extreme weather negotiations,” said Dr. C. dress our gaps to become identify financial support,
The meeting took place at events make the work of James Hospedales, CAR- climate change resilient”, while assuring that all stake-
the Guyana Marriott Hotel this Expert Panel extreme- PHA Executive Director. said Dr. Maureen Lichtveld, holders are engaged.q