The Pacific Islands are among the most vulnerable regions to climate change and the need for climate-resilient health systems has taken center stage at the 29th UN Climate Conference. Pacific countries like Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands with their low-lying geography and scattered islands face growing threats from rising sea levels and extreme weather. WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr.
Saia Ma’u Piukala said that investing in climate-resilient health facilities was not a luxury but a lifeline. He highlighted that funding falls short of meeting the unique challenges faced by Small Island Developing States. At a COP29 event in Baku, Azerbaijan, he presented WHO’s five-year regional vision which prioritizes strengthening health systems to withstand climate risks and emergencies.
In the Pacific, health facilities are particularly vulnerable with 62 percent of hospitals in 14 Pacific island countries located within 500 meters of coastlines or rivers. Rising sea levels, which are projected to increase 10–30 percent faster in the Pacific than the global average, threaten to inundate these facilities, disrupt services and compromise food security and mental health. Dr.
Piukala likened the region’s approach to the art of weaving, where collective efforts strengthen the system. This includes not only building infrastructure but also improving early warning systems for disease outbreaks, adopting green technologies and ensuring that health services re.