Govt Reaffirms Commitment to Climate-Resilient Health System

...Launches climate-health working group 

 The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed its commitments to climate-resilient health systems, even as it inaugurated a multi-sectoral Technical Working Group (TWG), with the aim of domesticating Nigeria’s Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP).

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, performed the inauguration ceremony yesterday, at the premises of the Ministry, Fate, in Ilorin, the State Capital.

Dr. El-Imam described the TWG as “the engine that will power Kwara’s response to the health impacts of climate change.” 

She noted that the group’s formation marks a major step in mainstreaming climate considerations, into public health planning across the state.

“This is more than just a technical committee—it’s a convergence of science, policy and practical action.

 “We are therefore determined to ensure that climate change is not treated as an environmental issue alone, but as a major public health priority”, the Commissioner stated.

Dr El-Imam noted that the mandate of TWG which is made up of 20 professionals drawn from health, environment, agriculture, water resources, urban planning, academia, and civil society organisations  is to adapt the national HNAP to reflect Kwara State’s specific climate-related health risks, using a participatory, evidence-based approach.

In his keynote lecture titled “Climate and Health in a Changing World: A New Path for Kwara,” the Director of Public Health, Dr. Oluwatosin Fakayode, underscored the urgency of the work ahead, highlighting the growing burden of climate-sensitive diseases, extreme weather events and food insecurity as urgent public health concerns.

Dr. Fakayode described the HNAP as a strategic opportunity to develop a state-specific plan for building resilient health systems, that can respond to the realities of a changing climate.

According to him; "the domestication process will run on a structured six-week timeline and is aligned with national climate strategies, the HNAP framework, and global targets, including the State Development Goals (SDG) and the Paris Agreement."

Fakayode noted that the Kwara HNAP process is tied to the HOPE Project, a World Bank-supported initiative that links health planning to performance-based financing.

Membership of Technical Working Group consists of senior government officials, technical experts, academic partners, civil society, and development agencies, whom all pledged their commitments to collaborations and timely action.

Saad Hamdalat

Press Secretary

MOH

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