Just 2% of global climate investments are directed toward health, according to Sidney Klajner, president of the Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital. Klajner made this statement during the JOTA Global event in New York on September 23.
A digestive tract surgeon by training, Klajner became the voice of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, focused on health, in the UN Global Compact in 2023.
Climate Events and Public Health
Klajner discussed the effects of extreme climate events on public health. For instance, droughts lead to water shortages and heightened risks of infectious disease outbreaks. “We need more resilient health systems,” he emphasized.
He advocates for public policies developed in collaboration with health organizations and systems. Klajner believes professionals and institutions must be equipped to tackle global challenges.
According to Klajner, health should play a larger role in climate discussions. Extreme events already impact populations. The scientific community acknowledges that limiting global warming to 1.5°C by 2030 is unlikely. “We won’t reach 1.5 degrees Celsius because there’s no more time for that,” he stated.
Citing UN data, Klajner noted that 3.6 billion people, half the world’s population, are affected by extreme climate events. Over 70% of heatwave-related deaths in the past two decades in Europe and the US occurred among those over 65.
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In the US, there were emergency room visits for heat-related illnesses until June and July this year. During 2023, nearly 150,000 people passed through emergency rooms for the same reason.
Brazil’s Preparations for El Niño
Brazil is gearing up for the impacts of the El Niño climate phenomenon. This triggers simultaneous events such as Amazon droughts, wildfires, and central region droughts, as well as windstorms and tornadoes in the south, which are historically rare in Brazil.
Currently, 4.7 million people in 641 Brazilian municipalities are affected by disasters or public calamities linked to these events.
Klajner highlighted the health plan launched at COP30 in Belém as a concrete example of preparedness. Developed with Brazil’s Health Ministry, it includes guidelines for training health professionals and creating contingency plans.
He referenced Hurricane Sandy in New York, where blood pressure levels rose for months due to disrupted access to primary care and mental health impacts. Brazil’s Health Ministry introduced AdaptaSUS, featuring 27 goals and 93 actions to ensure chronic disease treatment continuity during disasters.
The Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital launched the Environment and Health Impact Platform (MAIS) at COP30. This platform cross-references climate data with public health data from over 5,500 Brazilian municipalities.
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The hospital also works with vulnerable populations. It collected health data from 800,000 indigenous people and samples of soil and water to monitor mercury contamination from illegal mining. Similar projects are underway with quilombola communities.
Klajner shared lessons from recent disasters. After a 2023 landslide in northern São Paulo, the hospital ensured continued care for chronic patients. During floods in southern Brazil, a city lost one of its three hospitals and two emergency units.
Emergency generators, often located in basements, failed during the floods.
Health Monitoring and Vulnerable Communities
The hospital plans to install monitoring stations in these cities. These stations will combine climate data with existing information, such as population data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and historical records of respiratory, cardiovascular, and mortality cases during previous forest fires.
Similar initiatives are underway with quilombola communities, collecting environmental samples and blood tests from residents.
Lessons from Recent Disasters
The hospital’s initiatives aim to address these vulnerabilities and enhance health system resilience in the face of climate change.
