How to build the climate resilience and environmental sustainability of your facility and services

Abstract

African district-level health facilities and services face many interconnected challenges including infectious disease outbreaks, conflict and insecurity, fiscal austerity, population displacement and climate-related hazards such as heat, flooding and drought. Emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction plans have often not included the challenges from climate hazards. In this article, we outline six practical steps that a facility can take to assess its vulnerabilities, capacities and climate-related risks, and develop a plan to improve climate resilience and environmental sustainability: (1) a desktop review of the facility and services; (2) contextualisation and planning; (3) an audit of the facility; (4) a focus group discussion; (5) integration and analysis; (6) creation of an action plan. Environmental sustainability needs to be considered simultaneously with climate resilience as the key domains are the same (workforce; energy; water, waste and sanitation; infrastructure and equipment). In addition, the article outlines how to perform a carbon footprint and integrate the findings into one action plan for the facility. The article provides a practical roadmap for evaluating and improving the climate resilience and environmental sustainability of primary care or primary hospital facilities, and readers can access the referenced resources if they need additional details and support.