Health Preparedness for Disasters andCrises in a Changing Climate

By Hayley Payne, Griffith University, WHA, 2022

Hayley is studying a Master of Global Development, Climate Change and Disaster Resilience at Griffith University. Her policy paper focuses on Health Preparedness for Disasters and Crises in a Changing Climate.

Executive Summary

As the climate crisis escalates, its impacts on human health are increasingly evident. Australia is a country prone to climate and weather-related hazards and without early interventions to prepare for its impacts, climate change is set to cause significant pressure on Australia’s healthcare system. To address this growing issue, a whole-of-society approach is required to ensure that individuals and communities understand the risk of and are more resilient to climate health implications during a disaster or crisis.

The paper will provide two key recommendations to address this problem.

1. Develop national guidelines on public health preparedness community engagement and messaging that consider regional variations and existing health inequalities.

2. Create diversified and engaging participatory community engagement programs focused on health preparedness for disasters and crises.

The recommendations aim to achieve an increase in public health awareness and preparedness of the impacts of disaster and crisis events. They also aim to provide communities with an understanding of potential climate impacts on their health and wellbeing.

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