Nigeria Highlights Importance Of ‘One Health Approach’ On Climate Change Mitigation At ATACH

By Faridat Salifu

The Federal government of Nigeria has highlighted the important role its ‘One Health Approach’ program plays in mitigating the effect of climate change on the health of the people.

Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who represented Nigeria at the WHO hosted network, Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) which took place in Madrid, Spain, said the ministry will partner to reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare in the country by promoting the greening of the country’s health infrastructure.

Salako, made this known via a post on his X handle, on Tuesday. He said speaking on the topic “Working collaboratively across sectors and scales to advance climate and health implementation at country level”, gave him the opportunity to highlight the nexus between climate and health and how Nigeria’s One Health approach is a useful strategy for early and whollistic response to the effect of climate on health.

He said: “Yesterday, I participated as a virtual panelist in a WHO hosted network, Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) which took place in Madrid, Spain.

Speaking on the topic; Working collaboratively across sectors and scales to advance climate and health implementation at country level, I was able highlight the nexus between climate and health and how Nigeria’s One Health approach is a useful strategy for early and whollistic response to the effect of climate on health.

“Going forward, the Ministry of Environment will partner to reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare in the country by promoting the greening of our health infrastructure.”

The Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH; “the Alliance”) works to realize the ambition set at COP26 to build climate resilient and sustainable health systems, using the collective power of WHO Member States (“Member States”) and other stakeholders to drive this agenda forward at pace and scale; and promote the integration of climate change and health nexus into respective national, regional, and global plans, according to the WHO.

The meeting comprised plenary sessions, presentations, workshops, and parallel technical discussions, and sessions which were based on needs and priorities communicated by countries during ATACH Working Group meetings in 2023 and discussions between the Secretariat with Member States and with the ATACH conveners and working group co-chairs.

The theme of the event was “Transforming health systems in the face of climate change.”