BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
CHOISEUL Provincial Minister of Health, Thomas Rosu, warns that climate change is creating new challenges for the province’s healthcare system, as extreme weather events continue to disrupt health services and threaten community wellbeing.
Speaking during the Choiseul Provincial Health Summit in Taro, Rosu said the province has already witnessed the effects of changing weather patterns and is committed to strengthen its preparedness and response to climate-related disasters.
“We recognise the increasing impacts of climate change, including the recent Cyclone Maila, and we reaffirm our commitment to working closely with health services, the PDOC, communities, and partners to strengthen response and recovery,” he said.
Rosu said collaboration between the provincial government, health authorities, communities and development partners will be critical to build a more resilient healthcare system capable of responding to future climate-related emergencies.
Director of Choiseul Health Service, William Timba, echoed the minister’s concerns, saying climate change is placing growing pressure on health services across the province.
He said recent extreme weather events have exposed the vulnerability of health infrastructure and disrupted the delivery of essential healthcare services to communities.
Timba said Tropical Cyclone Maila is a recent example of the growing threat posed by climate-related disasters.
“Cyclone Maila is a strong reminder of how climate-related events affect health facilities, service delivery, and population health,” he said.
Timba said strengthening disaster preparedness and improving the resilience of health facilities remain key priorities to ensure health services continue to operate during emergencies.
He acknowledged the support of development partners during the cyclone response, thanking UNICEF and UNFPA for providing much-needed relief supplies that assisted affected communities and frontline health workers.
The issue of climate change and health resilience is one of the key topics being discussed at the week-long Choiseul Provincial Health Summit, where health leaders, government officials and stakeholders are exploring ways to strengthen primary healthcare services and improve the province’s capacity to respond to future health emergencies.
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