BRAZZAVILLE (dpa-AFX) – In Africa, many health emergencies are now due to climatic conditions. This has been the case in more than half of the public health emergencies recorded in the region over the past two decades, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
An analysis by the WHO shows that 56 percent of the 2,212 health emergencies registered in Africa between 2001 and 2021 were climate-related. The WHO warned that the entire health basis of the continent was threatened by increasingly violent climate events. “In Africa, frequent flooding and waterborne and vector-borne diseases are exacerbating health crises,” said WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.
According to the WHO, waterborne diseases accounted for around 40 percent of climate-related health emergencies over the past 20 years. Diarrheal diseases are the third most common cause of illness and death in children under the age of five. Diseases transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes or ticks – particularly yellow fever – accounted for 28 percent of climate-related emergencies. In addition, natural disasters, especially floods, have “increased dramatically” since 2010 and have led to health effects such as malnutrition and hunger.
According to international aid organizations, Africa’s Sahel is on the verge of the worst food crisis in ten years. In the next three months, 53 million people could starve in the Sahel. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)./kpa/DP/stw