Health minister calls for ‘open policies’ at COP 28 to enhance global health systems

AMMAN — Health Minister FirasHawari called for adopting "open policies" for safer and flexible global health systems.

Participating in the health day event at the UN Climate Change COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Hawari said that facing climate change impacts necessitatescollaboration across all sectors in every country.

Enhancing financial and technical support to the health sector and improving its infrastructure will facilitate its ability to address, recognise and manage health issues related to climate change, he added, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Speaking at the first-ever Health Day at a UN Climate Change COP 28, Hawari saidthat Jordan has previously committed to international agreements and initiatives aimed at establishing health systems more resilient to climate change effects.

Hawari also reiterated Jordan's support to the world efforts to combat climate change impacts.  

Hawari also noted that the Jordanian health sector announced that it is currently developing strategies to raise the health sector's resilience and adaptability to the effects of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He added that the Health Ministry is developing a ten-year health adaptation strategy based on a 2012 strategy review, its implementation of which faced two main challenges, the influx of Syrian refugees and the COVID-19 pandemic over the past three years.

Hawari said that the new strategy will focus on local and international stakeholders’ engagement, evaluationexpansion to include not only health facilities contributions in climate change, but also their resilience in facing climate-related-consequences, he said.