CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION AMONG HEALTH MINISTERS SHOULD BE ENHANCED

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The Asia Pacific Health Ministers
Conference on Climate Change and Health has recommended enhancement of strategic and continuous communication among the region's health ministers and the National Focal Points to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Speaking to reporters after the dialogue session at the resolutions of the
two-day conference here Friday, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the
recommendation was to highlight the importance of, and the need to accelerate
strengthening of health protection systems in response to climate
change.

"Concerted efforts are also required to ensure integration of
emergency
responses associated with climate change into national health initiatives and
decision-making processes while promoting the co-benefits of adaptation and
mitigation for sustainable development", he said.

The conference also recommended that comprehensive strategies and
innovative financing mechanisms support public health responses and expand
existing international funds to enhance accessibility to health services, in
response to climate change.

Among the areas highlighted in the conference were the emergence and
re-emergence of infectious diseases which posed increasing threats to tropical
and sub-tropical countries, thus the need to improve the modelling for outbreak
predictions.

The conference urged regional and national human resources development
agencies and health development programmes towards intensifying focus on climate
change and health to be conducted in a more comprehensive manner.

The conference, organised by the health and natural resources and
environment ministries, was attended by more than 120 participants to discuss
the impact of climate change on the health.

-- BERNAMA