WHO Finds 62% of Pacific Health Facilities Face Flood and Coastal Risks

More than six in ten health facilities assessed across Pacific island countries are located close to the sea or a river, highlighting the growing exposure of essential healthcare infrastructure to climate risks. According to a recent review cited by the World Health Organization, 62% of 76 hospitals assessed across 14 Pacific island countries are located within 500 metres of the coast or a river, leaving them particularly vulnerable to flooding, storm surges and rising sea levels as climate impacts intensify across the region.

 

The findings come as Pacific governments and health authorities work to strengthen the resilience of health systems against extreme weather, heat, water insecurity and infectious disease risks. Climate-related disruption can affect healthcare in several ways at once, damaging hospitals and clinics while increasing demand for medical services and disrupting electricity, water supplies, transport routes and access to essential medicines. For small island states with limited alternative infrastructure, damage to a single facility can have a significant effect on local healthcare access.

 

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WHO says countries across the Pacific are already working on measures including stronger emergency preparedness, more resilient health infrastructure and greater integration of health risks into national climate planning. Access to finance remains an important constraint, particularly where countries need to upgrade existing facilities or design new infrastructure that can withstand flooding, extreme heat, cyclones and other climate hazards. WHO is also calling for climate finance to reach communities and essential services most exposed to these risks.

 

The organisation argues that health should be treated as part of wider climate investment rather than as a separate issue. Clean energy, sustainable transport, resilient infrastructure and stronger food and water systems can reduce emissions while also lowering health risks. In the Pacific, that means climate adaptation spending can have a direct effect on whether hospitals remain operational during extreme weather and whether communities can continue accessing healthcare when infrastructure is under pressure.

 

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Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, said Pacific countries need their priorities and experiences reflected more clearly in global climate decisions. Dr Mark Jacobs, WHO Representative to the South Pacific and Director of Pacific Technical Support, said climate finance needs to reach communities and essential services facing the greatest risks. WHO plans to continue supporting governments across the region in strengthening climate-resilient and lower-carbon health systems.

 

Source: The World Health Organization (WHO)