A total of 36 clinical and public health workers across Makira Province participated in the Pilot Training on Climate Change and Health and Disaster Risk Management to strengthen their capacity to protect communities from the increasing health challenges posed by extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and disease outbreaks.
Through the training, health workers learned essential knowledge, practical tools, and hands-on exercises to develop local action plans and standard operating procedures for disaster preparedness and response. This is important after a baseline knowledge assessment conducted across seven health facilities, including Kirakira Hospital, identified key gaps in workforce knowledge and practice related to climate change and health and disaster risk management (DRM).
Makira Provincial Health Supervising Director, Dr Aloysius Samo, Jr., expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), World Health Organization (WHO), Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the facilitators for bringing the pilot DRM training to Makira Ulawa Province. He said this pilot training is a first of its kind, especially for the provincial health sector. “Since more than 5 years serving the province, this is the first time I have witnessed and been part of an integrated training. I wanted to thank WHO for the technical support provided, and all the facilitators for their expertise shared during the training.”
He encouraged participants to make good use of the knowledge and skills obtained during the training. He noted that the knowledge and skills gained will save families and communities across Makira Province when there is a disaster.
Director of the Environmental Health Division, Ms Ethel Mapolu, speaking on behalf of the Acting Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, Dr Gregory Jilini, acknowledged and thanked the participants for attending the training.
Ms Mapolu noted that Makira Ulawa Province is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and disasters, with communities often experiencing the frontline impacts of cyclones, sea level rise, earthquakes, water insecurity, and disease outbreaks, among other climate-related challenges that often disrupt essential health services.
“We cannot ignore the risks posed by climate change and its impacts on health. Therefore, we must put measures in place to ensure that communities are adequately prepared and their well-being protected against the impact of a rapidly changing climate,” she said.
WHO Technical Officer for Health Emergencies Mr Georgios Theocharopoulos emphasized that the health impacts of the climate crisis are already being felt across Solomon Islands, with drought recently reported by some communities.
“Building resilient health systems that can withstand and respond to these events requires sustained and robust investment in our frontline workforce. By working together, Government, communities, and partners, our ability to protect the most vulnerable becomes stronger and more effective. This training is a step in that direction.” He further acknowledged the strong leadership of MHMS and thanked GEF and UNDP for their continuous support.
Organized by the MHMS – Environmental Health Division, in collaboration with WHO, the training is made possible by GEF through UNDP. This is the second pilot training conducted, the first being in Temotu last year.
