Georgetown, GINA, April 7, 2008

Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy asserted that climate change is a very real and imminent threat to the well-being of people’s lives and they have to protect themselves from this phenomenon.
The Health Minister made this call in observance of World Health Day 2008 which is being observed under the theme ‘Protect Health from Climate Change.’ Guyanese joined others globally to reaffirm their collective persuasion that the health of their country, the health of the globe, is the wealth of all countries.
The health of a country’s citizens is vital for any country to realise its aspiration of eliminating poverty and providing a decent standard of living for its citizens. This aspiration, however, is faced with many challenges, one being climate change, Minister Ramsammy said.
Governments worldwide through the World Health Organisation (WHO) have focused on the adverse effects of climate change on people’s health and have chosen to highlight the effects by making it the theme for World Health Day 2008.
Dr. Kathleen Israel, Pan American Health Organisation/WHO representative to Guyana reinforced this statement. She said that, “There is no subject worthy of greater attention in today’s world than the issue of climate change.” Israel noted that the objective of this year’s World Health Day is to catalyze public participation in the global campaign to protect health from the adverse effects of climate change. The aim of WHO is to put public health at the centre of the United Nations agenda for climate change, she said.
Minister Ramsammy noted that, “Health Ministers of the world may not have the power to make changes that would reduce global warming or the pace of climate change. But they do have a voice and can mount a strong, an effective and a persuasive advocacy to the growing pressure for changes to reduce global warming and reverse the trend of climate change.”
He further noted that they hold a vital position. “Health Ministers do have the power, however, to mitigate the impact of climate change on the health of people. It is encouraging that they, through collective work at the WHO, are taking on this role with zeal and with a sense of urgency.” Minister Ramsammy called on Guyanese to fully embrace the challenge of responding to climate change. “It is here. It is now and it is a present day crisis. Guyana has rightfully dissociated itself from those countries and those groups that might still have doubts about the seriousness of the challenge confronting us already. We must be a constant and strong voice on the national and global stages for action to reduce global warming and reverse the trend of climate change,” he said.
Minister Ramsammy noted the severity of the situation and that it should not be brushed aside. He acknowledged that while people may say that Guyana does not have natural disasters such as hurricanes, climate change alters that fact because it is not a certainty anymore.
Israel supported this in her World Health Day message. “None of us can afford to be complacent because even though Guyana contributes little to the production of greenhouse gases which lead to global warming…, it can be impacted in much the same way as the countries that produce a great deal of greenhouse gases.”
While the effects of climate change pose a threat to the economic stability of a country, it is also a major health issue.
Minister Ramsammy noted the many diseases that are associated with the changing of our weather patterns and environment. Asthmatic conditions are on the rise in every country, and vector-borne diseases such as dengue. Minister Ramsammy said that, “Guyana must continue to stand as a steady and vociferous ally in the global coalition for effective response to stop global warming and to mitigate the impact of climate change. The Bali Declaration and the agreements emanating from that summit hold out hope, I believe, however, that global recognition and commitment fall way short of the actions necessary now to mitigate the impact of global warming and climate change.”
Activities planned to mark World Health Day include many organised ‘walks’ to highlight the benefits of physical activity and the need for the world to reduce emission of ozone depleting gases.
The Minister called on Guyanese to become more responsible in the way they deal with garbage disposal, and noted that Government has to be more visible in dealing with solid waste issues.
World Health Day was created in 1948 by the First World Health Assembly to mark the founding of the WHO. World Health Day takes place on April 7 annually and serves to raise awareness of key global health challenges. World Health Day 2008 is being observed as the WHO celebrates its 60th anniversary.