CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH; AFRICA FOCUS

In the last decade, the world has come to pay more attention to climate change since the consequences of years of ecological abuse have begun to have telling effect on global system, it is exigent to examine the weakest link(s) in that same system.

Africa remains the weakest link in the global interplay with age long issues of in-adequate infrastructure e.g in health, housing and agricultural sectors, and lingering prevalence. Climate change resulting from alterations in world eco-system even though aggravated by developed economics with their massive emission of gases from oil exploration, vehicular generation and industrial actions, has become greater problem for Africa even though the region generates the least amount of carbon.

Health, which is the focus of this evaluation, has borne a major brawl of this global cataclysm. The continent with its frail socio-economic structure has suffered immensely. A WHO organized global synthesis workshop of the world conservation forum, in Bangkok- Thailand (2004) reveals that climate change constitute a 25% burden of disease globally and up to 35% of disease burden in vary poor regions such as sub-Sahara Africa.

In the specified region, there is an escalation of drought in the most avid areas and an increase in floods. This ensures that portable drinking water becomes more difficult to procure. Most inhabitants may therefore cast of desperation of resort to drinking from un-safe sources. As a consequence, diarrhea cases have dramatically increased; with reports showing deaths up to 1.7million annually.Deforestration is one of the most prevalent actions in the continent of Africa, which results in climate alterations. This is mostly the destruction or removal of natural plant cover for agricultural purposes, the falling of trees for construction purpose, the clearing of huge land expanses for industrial space or housing. Since 60% of the constituents of Africa rely on wood as a source of fuel, this has become highly detrimental to the natural ecosystem and impacting on malaria transmission as well as other vector borne diseases.

The association between ecology or environment and health may not always be a linear cause and effect. This however does not depict a viable connection between the two variables.

Current agricultural practices involving the use of toxic agro chemicals have worsen issues of climate change and research as seen in the poorest regions of Africa, this result in the death of about 800,000 individuals annually. Aside other contributive factors, those shown here concur with a general view that climate change has and will continue to have dire consequences on the health of the populace of Africa.

In this regards therefore, intensive mitigation action has to be pooled especially from the economically advantaged countries which indirectly or directly promote climate change. The most vulnerable countries understandably adaption is very variable but direct mitigation exercise will yield more immediate re-action in order to avoid the continued proliferation of climate change.

Developed nations must grant more assistance to the least developed countries in Africa. This may include plans to meet the cost of adaptation to the negative effects of climate change particularly on health. It may also involve re-education and re-orientation programs.