Seed Global Health and Rockefeller Foundation Collaborate to Improve Health Resilience in Malawi
Seed Global Health and The Rockefeller Foundation join forces to tackle the health impacts of climate change in Malawi. Their initiative aims to create a vulnerability and adaptation assessment toolkit to strengthen health systems. The project, in collaboration with Malawi’s Ministry of Health, intends to offer adaptation strategies and insights applicable to other nations facing climate challenges. The partnership emphasizes the urgent need for investment in climate-resilient health systems.
Seed Global Health (Seed) has announced a new partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation to address the severe health consequences of climate change in Malawi. This initiative aims to develop a streamlined and affordable vulnerability and adaptation assessment (VAA) toolkit, which will assist less-resourced countries in enhancing the resilience of their health systems against climate-related impacts.
The primary objective is to design and implement a VAA in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Malawi. This project will propose adaptation strategies that contribute to Malawi’s National Health Adaptation Plan and offer insights on how to adapt this tool for other nations facing similar challenges due to climate change.
Malawi’s Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, noted, “The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue; it’s a full-blown health crisis. Addressing climate change is not just about saving ecosystems; it’s about protecting the health and well-being of current and future generations.” The project emphasizes the importance of investing in climate-resilient health systems like the VAA, deeming it both a moral and economic necessity.
In 2023, Cyclone Freddy resulted in a cholera outbreak affecting over 2.2 million individuals in Malawi, overwhelming the healthcare system. Limited resources and a shortage of skilled healthcare workers exacerbated the crisis, complicating the response to the disease. This incident highlighted the critical need for effective planning in health systems to ensure they are capable of responding adequately to such impacts.
Gerishom Gimaiyo, Director of Health at The Rockefeller Foundation, stated, “Climate change is disrupting every facet of human life… The rapid VAA approach in Malawi will demonstrate how countries can quickly generate actionable data to guide timely decisions, build resilience, safeguard health and protect lives.”
The development of the VAA toolkit aims to enhance Malawi’s crisis response capabilities and build resilience for the health and well-being of its citizens. Anda Nyondo, Seed Global Health country director in Malawi, expressed pride in receiving support from The Rockefeller Foundation to bolster the Ministry of Health’s climate response efforts.
Seed Global Health remains committed to long-term investments aimed at improving health equity, addressing climate change challenges and safeguarding against potential health crises in the future. The Rockefeller Foundation, committed to transformative philanthropy, focuses on improving human opportunity and combating the climate crisis through innovative systems in various sectors.
The collaboration between Seed Global Health and The Rockefeller Foundation is a significant step toward enhancing the resilience of Malawi’s health systems in the face of climate change. With the development of a vulnerability and adaptation assessment toolkit, the initiative aims to support strategic planning and effective responses to health crises. This partnership underscores the necessity of prioritizing health system resilience as a means to protect vulnerable populations from the pressures of environmental change.
Original Source: www.rockefellerfoundation.org
