Georgetown, Guyana 27 May 2025– In a significant step toward strengthening the country’s response to climate change, the Ministry of Health, Guyana, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), launched the development of a Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP). The Plan is being developed under the EU/CARIFORUM Strengthening Climate Resilient Health Systems Project which aims to build a more robust and adaptive health system that can withstand the rising threats posed by climate change.
Members of the Health and health-influencing sectors were engaged in a week-long mission, May 12-16, 2025, to kick off the HNAP development process. The mission, which was led by Caribbean consultants, Mr. Leon Charles and Dr. Lindonne Telesford, featured in-depth consultations with a broad range of stakeholders, including government officials, healthcare professionals, environmental experts, and civil society representatives. These engagements served to validate existing data, identify knowledge and capacity gaps, and gather insights into the vulnerabilities currently faced by the health sector.
Stakeholders acknowledged that the effects of climate change are already being felt within Guyana’s health system, citing increased instances of vector, water and foodborne diseases, increases in respiratory and heat-related illnesses as well as the toll on one’s mental health resulting from increasing temperatures and rainfall, among other concerns.
Through collaborative group sessions during the May 14, 2025 workshop, participants shared experiences and offered targeted recommendations for improving the health sector’s climate resilience founded on the following building blocks of a well-functioning health system:
1. Health service delivery
2. Health workforce
3. Health information systems
4. Access to essential medicines
5. Health systems financing
6. Leadership and governance
This structured approach allowed stakeholders to pinpoint critical weaknesses and begin outlining strategic adaptation measures. Proposed strategies aim to reduce health risks stemming from climate-related hazards such as heatwaves, vector, water and foodborne diseases, and extreme weather events.
The feedback and findings from this consultative process will directly inform the drafting of the Health National Adaptation Plan. Once finalized, the HNAP will serve as a strategic policy document, integrating climate change considerations into all levels of health planning, policy development, and service delivery.
Over the next several months, stakeholders in the health and health influencing sectors in Guyana will continue to engage in the draft and review processes of the HNAP. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) will continue to provide technical guidance and support throughout this process.
This initiative acknowledges climate change as a critical public health issue and reflects Guyana’s commitment to coordinated, science-based action towards ensuring the health, well-being and resilience of communities.
