Guam, CNMI healthcare leaders discuss climate resilience at WHO meeting in Manila

Guam and CNMI public health leaders participated in the World Health Organization’s session of the regional committee in Manila this week, which focused on climate-resilient healthcare facilities. 

“I think the message across the region is about emergency response,” said Dr. Esther Muna, CNMI hospital CEO. 

Leaders from Asia and the Pacific convened in Manila this week for the 75th session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific. 

Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation CEO Dr. Esther Muna moderated a panel on climate-resilient healthcare facilities. 

Director of Pacific Technical Support and WHO representative to the South Pacific Dr. Mark Jacobs explains. 

“There are four key components of this climate-resilient facilities: there is a component around health workforce, there is a component around resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene and waste management, there’s a component around sustainable energy, and there is a component around infrastructure and product and technology,” said Jacobs. 

Guam Director of the Department of Public Health & Social Services Theresa Arriola explained the urgent need for climate-resilient facilities in U.S. territories. 

“Most of the healthcare facilities in the territories are aging, and health leaders worry of its availability and accessibility when disaster strikes. In the last decade alone, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have experienced extremely powerful typhoons, putting the health system that is already struggling to meet the health needs of its people at risk of not being there at all. While the island territories have shown that they are resilient, more efforts need to be made to ensure that the health infrastructure is strong and prepared to withstand climate-related disasters and extreme weather events. We support and hope to accelerate our facilities to join others in the region as a climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable healthcare facility…to ensure we are ready to serve our people, no matter what the conditions our environment brings on,” said Arriola.