The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised an alarm for Nigeria on the imminent threat of climate-related diseases, warning that 21% of the nation’s disease burden could soon be directly linked to climate change if immediate measures are not undertaken.
Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO’s Head of Mission and Representative in Nigeria, issued this warning at the launch of Nigeria’s first-ever Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (VA) Report 2024.
During his address, Dr. Mulombo referenced the recent 77th World Health Assembly, where climate change was highlighted as the most serious global health threat of the 21st century.
He emphasized that climate change directly affects the foundations of good health, including clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food, and secure shelter, all of which are at risk in Nigeria.
Dr Mulombo explained that climate change is driving shifting disease patterns, extreme weather events, and rising temperatures, all of which place significant pressure on health systems and threaten public health—particularly in vulnerable communities.
“The alarming projection that in the near future, 21% of Nigeria’s disease burden could be climate-related underscores the urgent need for transformative action,” he stated.
This latest assessment, captured in the Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Report, serves as a key milestone, outlining specific risks posed by climate change to Nigeria’s health and proposing strategies for resilience.
The 2024 Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation (VA) Report is Nigeria’s pioneering document addressing climate’s impact on health, marking a turning point in the nation’s approach to safeguarding public health in a changing climate.
Dr. Mulombo lauded the report as a crucial component of Nigeria’s journey towards resilience, indicating that it sets a standard for coordinated, unified action through the “SWAP” approach: one document, one plan, one conversation.
This report was developed in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the World Bank, and UNICEF.
It delivers vital data and recommendations, laying the groundwork for Nigeria’s Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP). This framework will guide national policies and health programs toward building climate-resilient systems.
As part of its longstanding partnership with Nigeria, WHO has facilitated substantial initiatives aimed at aligning Nigeria’s health sector with global climate resilience standards.
One of these milestones includes the 2021 signing of the Health Sector Commitment to a Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Health System, which aligns Nigeria’s health priorities with the Paris Agreement and the COP26 Health Programme.
According to Dr. Mulombo, this commitment was instrumental in establishing a foundation for resilience, empowering the health system to respond to climate impacts more effectively.
Beyond policy initiatives, WHO has supported on-the-ground efforts to strengthen local health capacities.
In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, FCDO, and other partners, WHO has trained over 382 health workers and climate change desk officers across all 36 states, equipping them to address climate-related health issues.
WHO also worked with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on a regional scoping mission in 2018 to tackle black soot air pollution in Port Harcourt—a project that has provided a model for localized climate-health interventions in Nigeria.
