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The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, has proposed that a portion of climate funding should be allocated to address healthcare challenges exacerbated by climate change.
Speaking at the Health Leaders’ Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Mr. Elumelu emphasized the need to access climate funds to tackle healthcare issues arising from climate change.
He also highlighted the importance of unlocking climate funding for healthcare delivery, in addition to the focus on renewable energy and climate resilience projects.
Mr. Elumelu stressed the impact of climate change on healthcare, pointing out that it is leading to the emergence of new diseases and contributing to additional deaths from undernutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress.
He cited statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicating that climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. The direct damage costs to health are also projected to be significant by 2030, estimated to range between US$ 2 to 4 billion per year.
In addition to addressing the healthcare challenges exacerbated by climate change, Mr. Elumelu also highlighted the detrimental effect of energy deficits on healthcare delivery in Africa. He called for innovative efforts across various sectors to achieve positive outcomes, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and investment from both the private sector and global health systems.
