The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted its 22nd anniversary conference with the theme, “Health Amidst Climate Change, Disasters, and Outbreaks” on March 2-3 at the Bayanihan Center, UNILAB, Pasig City.
The conference aimed to enlighten the participants and the general public about the intersections of climate change and health. It discussed the present healthcare challenges and opportunities amidst future climate change scenarios, disasters, and disease outbreaks and network-building among various and diverse stakeholders toward future healthcare systems.
Recognizing its broader roles, the conference tackled the health impact of increased heart-related morbidities and mortalities; higher risks of exposures to vector-borne diseases and pathogens; reduced food availability and quality for daily nutritional needs; increased risks of physical and mental health issues associated with demoralized and displaced populations resulting from climate-induced dislocation, environmental decline and conflict situations; greater frequency of infectious disease epidemics and physical injuries following storm-induced floods, landslides and droughts; and other climate change related consequences to health.
“The theme aptly captures the broader societal role of NIH. The clarion call for us is to go into more impactful research and for collaboration and networking with more institutions and sectors on health as affected by climate change, disasters, and outbreaks,” stated UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla in her message.
She called on health and public health providers to be ready to play an active role in the prevention, early detection and mitigation of the health effects of climate change by including climate and health content in the curricula and continuing education courses.
Understanding and staying abreast of the new strategies for the early detection of emerging disease risks and outbreaks that will likely be driven by a changing climate, will help health and public health professionals be prepared and respond.
Apart from the plenary lectures, discussions on urban planning and health infrastructures in response to the current climate scenarios was held. Workshops were also conducted on Disaster Preparedness by the Institute of Health Policies and Developmental Studies (IHPDS) and Manuscript Writing for researchers.
Poster presentations and exhibits depicting the theme were also part of the anniversary commemoration.
The NIH was enacted through Republic Act 8503 (Health Research and Development Act of 1998) on 13 February 1998 to serve as the coordinating and integrating body of existing researches in UP Manila.
From a handful of institutes, the NIH has since grown to include ten institutes and three centers, and at least 24 study groups, along with vital supporting units.
