DAVAO CITY – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) recognized doctors as crucial allies in the fight against climate change during a national convention, emphasizing their vital role in preparing communities for climate disasters and emergencies.
At the recent Midyear Convention of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP), hosted by its Southern Mindanao Chapter (PCCP SMC), the CCC highlighted the need to address climate change through intersectional approaches and sustainable adaptation strategies. CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera emphasized that the expertise of medical professionals strengthens these efforts.
“Climate change affects human health both directly and indirectly,” Herrera said. “Extreme weather events increase the risk of vector-borne diseases, waterborne infections, and heat-related disorders.”
She stressed that doctors understand the links between health outcomes and environmental factors, which shows that combating climate change requires a collective effort. “We must make our healthcare system more climate-resilient,” Herrera stated. “With stakeholders and frontliners like you on our side, we can achieve this goal.”
She further noted, “We aim to reduce patient mortality from climate-sensitive diseases by strengthening primary care, improving healthcare accessibility, availability, and affordability.”
The annual convention brought together pulmonologists from across the Philippines, along with internists, family medicine physicians, general practitioners, Department of Health personnel, and residents and fellows from pulmonary medicine training institutions.
The PCCP has consistently engaged with climate change issues in the Philippines and worldwide, integrating climate advocacy into its organizational priorities. The CCC values their active participation in government-led climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, particularly since discussions on the links between health and climate often do not take center stage in climate policy.
“Climate change’s impact on our health and health infrastructure often gets overlooked, even though its implications are significant,” Herrera said. “These connections aren’t always immediate or apparent. It’s difficult for patients to link a chronic illness that emerges weeks after record flooding to the experience of surviving a super typhoon.”
The CCC is committed to supporting medical professionals and public health experts in pushing for policies that address the intersection of climate change and health.
“Medical professionals are uniquely positioned to identify, respond to, and prevent health issues worsened by climate change. Together, we can build stronger, more climate-adaptive healthcare systems that protect our people, especially the most vulnerable, from the growing threats of a changing climate,” said CCC vice chairperson and executive director Robert E.A. Borje.
