DUBAI – In an effort to address the escalating health risks posed by climate change\u2014on physical, mental, and community health, the U.N. COP28 climate summit held its first \u2018Health Day\u2019 today, with discussions on the role of climate action in fortifying global health resilience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healthcare professionals, activists, and representatives from countries and organizations, who campaigned to have the health conversation at Climate talks, called it a \u2018historic moment\u2019, that is well overdue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough the climate crisis is a health crisis, 27 COPs have been and gone without a serious discussion of health,\u201d said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization. \u201cFor too long health has been a footnote climate discussion. No more.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ghebreyesus said that the rise of direct impacts of climate change on health including air pollution, floods, droughts, storms, extreme heatwaves, and wildfires is severely impacting the vulnerable community the most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This comes after the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Peter sands, told Kass media that, Climate change is triggering climate-induced migration, leading to spread of infectious diseases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe see there being a real risk of displaced people having a higher vulnerability to both TB and HIV. The challenge in all this is how do we maintain continuity of service?\u201d Sands said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n