Mauritius has reached a strategic milestone in building a climate-resilient health system through the validation of its Gap Analysis Report, the draft Institutional Framework, and the Terms of Reference (ToR) for establishing a Climate and Health Technical Unit (CHTU). This progress is part of the project “Building Health Systems Resilience to Climate Change,” funded by the Green Climate Fund and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), aimed at enhancing the country’s preparedness and readiness for climate-related health challenges.
The milestone was achieved through a collaborative process involving senior officials, technical experts, and stakeholders from government, academia, and civil society. WHO Representative Dr. Anne Ancia emphasized the urgency of action, noting that inaction costs lives and disrupts services, while proactive measures strengthen health systems and community resilience. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mrs. Madhumattee Ramkhelawon, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to advancing the CHTU initiative, stressing the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration, especially with the Ministry of Finance, to ensure effective implementation.
Mauritius identified five critical systemic gaps: the absence of a dedicated climate-health coordination unit, lack of a standalone Climate and Health Strategy, weak operational readiness and surge capacity, limited integration of climate variables into health surveillance systems, and the absence of climate budget tagging in the health sector. To address these gaps, the Institutional Framework Report proposes a transformative structure including the establishment of the CHTU within the Ministry of Health and Wellness, strengthening the Technical Working Group on Climate Change and Health, integrating climate resilience into health policies and budgets, developing a financing strategy combining domestic and international resources, and institutionalizing a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system with climate-sensitive health indicators.
Multisectoral stakeholders reviewed and agreed on the detailed ToR for the CHTU, which outlines its mandate to coordinate multisectoral action, strengthen data and early warning systems, build capacity across the health workforce, and foster partnerships. The discussion allowed participants to provide input on the CHTU’s key functions, emphasizing the importance of clear roles, timelines, accountability mechanisms, and commitment from all stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of a climate-resilient health system in Mauritius.
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