News & Events

The Planetary and Global Health Program (PGHP) of the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine–William H. Quasha Memorial (SLMCCM-WHQM) and Healthcare Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) are launching a new certificate course entitled “Climate-Smart Healthcare in Developing Countries”. The course aims to embolden people, organizations, and institutions to redesign health systems that promote the health not just of people but also of the planet, especially in the era of climate change.

The course, which will consist of synchronous sessions and asynchronous modules, will be held for four weeks in June 2020 The course faculty includes: Dr. Renzo Guinto, Associate Professor and Inaugural Director of the SLMCCM-WHQM Planetary and Global Health Program; Ramon San Pascual, Executive Director of HCWH-SEA; Dr. Ronald Law, Chief, Health Emergency Preparedness, Department of Health; Josh Karliner, International Director for Program and Strategy, HCWH-Global; Antonella Risso, International Climate Technical and Research Manager, HCWH-Global; and other guest resource speakers from the Philippines and abroad.

The harmful impacts of the rapidly changing climate have been disruptive and far-reaching, but if mitigation action is not enacted quickly and decisively in the coming years, the situation can get devastatingly worse. All sectors and industries are already feeling these impacts, but the burden is particularly heavy on the healthcare sector. Climate change is considered one of the biggest global health threats of the 21st century. From the re-emergence of vector-borne diseases and respiratory illnesses to food scarcity brought on by desertification, to deaths caused by extreme climate events, climate change is inextricably intertwined with all aspects of human health.

Developed countries are responsible for most global greenhouse gas emissions, but it is the developing countries that will carry the brunt of the consequences. Hence, developing countries, especially their health systems, must build resilience to respond and adapt to the long-term impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, sustainability is often misconceived as expensive and that it requires much infrastructure and technology to mitigate carbon emissions. To meet the combined demands of climate adaptation and mitigation, climate-smart healthcare – the convergence of climate resilience and sustainability – is a new approach that can be adopted by hospitals, healthcare organizations, and health systems especially in developing countries.

The Climate-Smart Healthcare in Developing Countries Certificate Course will introduce frameworks, tools, and strategies on how healthcare professionals, facilities, and systems especially in developing countries can implement measures to become sustainable and climate-resilient. The course is open to all healthcare and public health professionals, hospital and health system leaders in government and private sector, and health students from the Philippines and abroad.

Interested participants may register at bit.ly/cshcdc2022

Download the summary of the course syllabus here