The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) in Fiji is currently facing challenges regarding its capacity to manage climate resilience projects, with only one staff member assigned to oversee this crucial work. As outlined in the Fiji Health Adaptation Plan (FHAP) for the period from 2024 to 2030, this limitation has resulted in delays in reporting the ministry’s progress in addressing the impacts of climate change on health.
The recent Monitoring and Evaluation Report of the Climate Change and Health Strategic Action Plan highlights that these staffing shortages have hindered the ability of the Climate Change and Health Steering Committee to produce necessary reporting outputs, crucial for tracking implementation progress on climate-related health initiatives. The current situation has left the Climate Change and Health Unit with just one officer dedicated to climate change efforts.
In response to these challenges, the ministry is planning to expand the Climate Change and Health Unit (CCHU) by recruiting additional staff over the six-year plan. The goal is to establish a more robust unit with a minimum of three permanent full-time staff members. This enhanced team will help facilitate the ambitious objectives outlined in the Health Adaptation Plan and ensure that climate change actions are integrated into the operational plans of various programs within the MHMS.
Additionally, the CCHU will be responsible for crafting strategic action plans and policies that address climate change and health, as well as providing capacity-building initiatives and monitoring activities related to these issues.
This move towards strengthening the MHMS’s capacity to address climate-related health challenges is a positive step and indicates a commitment to effectively tackling the adverse effects of climate change in Fiji’s health sector. With the expanded team, there lies hope for more timely and impactful actions that can lead to better health outcomes for communities affected by climate change.
Overall, the expansion of the Climate Change and Health Unit represents a proactive approach to tackling a growing concern, and it reflects a dedication to improving institutional capacity while ensuring the integration of climate resilience into health strategies.
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