WHO, Govt Join Hands To Boost Climate Health Preparedness

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Aug, 2026) The World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Pakistan, provincial authorities and development partners on Wednesday joined a national conference to strengthen long-term health emergency preparedness and response to climate-driven hazards. The step was taken as the health sector was ready to activate the Monsoon and Flood Contingency Plan 2026 to support 1.8 million people in high-risk areas. The National Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Conference, held under the leadership of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, focused on strengthening emergency preparedness and response, improving coordination among health-sector stakeholders, ensuring timely data sharing for evidence-based decisions, optimizing resources and maintaining uninterrupted essential health services, particularly for vulnerable populations. The conference was organized by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination with support from WHO, as co-chair of the Health Sector, along with UNFPA, IOM, UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee and Save the Children. Speaking at the conference, Minister of State for Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath said Pakistan's geographical location made it one of the countries experiencing the impacts of climate change at an early stage. 'From Gilgit all the way down along the banks of the Indus River, we can see an entire belt being affected. It is estimated that approximately 60 million people are affected by hazards associated with climate change across this entire area,' he said. He emphasized the need to strengthen preparedness before disasters occurred and said protecting vulnerable populations should remain a key priority in the context of climate change. According to the World Risk Report 2024, Pakistan is among the 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change and overlapping crisis factors, including heatwaves, floods, waterborne diseases, droughts and air pollution. The Global Climate Index 2026 also ranks Pakistan among the 15 countries most affected by extreme weather events during 1995–2024. WHO Pakistan Representative Dr Luo Dapeng said evidence showed that preparedness and timely health emergency response could save lives. 'In a context marked by increasing climate-driven natural disasters, investing in preparedness and a science-based health emergency response is not only the right thing to do to protect lives, it is also the smartest and most cost-effective decision,' he said. Dr Luo stressed that predictable funding, strong leadership, effective coordination and timely, science-based interventions were essential for reducing the human and economic costs of disasters. He noted that delayed interventions were generally more expensive and less effective and could take a heavy toll on human lives. The conference underscored the need for sustained investment in preparedness and coordinated action to ensure that Pakistan's health system remained resilient and capable of responding effectively to climate-related emergencies.