By Sim YH
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, OCT 10 – In the health care sector, climate change has a very significant impact on all levels of society and it is a challenge that needs to be taken into account immediately to build sustainable resilience.
In the long term, the harmful effects of climate change will depend on the extent to which transformative and regulatory actions are taken now to reduce carbon emissions and thereby mitigate future harmful effects.
In this country, climate change has been proven to occur according to a study from the Brunei Darussalam Meteorology Department (BDMD) which expects that in the next 30 years, Brunei will likely experience an increase in temperature at a rate of 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade.
“From 2021 to 2051, rainfall is projected to increase by 5.0mm per year. This projection will have an impact on the health of the population and the health care system in this country.”
The matter was stated by the Minister of Health, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jaafar in his speech at the Launching Ceremony of the Ministry of Health’s Sustainability Initiative which took place at Dewan Afiah, Ministry of Health, today.
He went on to state that the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 5 percent of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are from the healthcare sector.
“Therefore, the Ministry of Health through Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) is committed to Climate Resilient Health Systems and Low Carbon Sustainable Health Systems.”
The Honorable Dato stated that the Sustainability, Health and Climate Task Force last September 26 held the first GreenPossible Hospital workshop in Temburong District where the workshop included the work of the World Health Organization’s Operation to build a climate resilient and low carbon system, the Goal of Green and Healthy Hospitals Global and Brunei Darussalam Green Protocol.
He stated that the launch of the Sustainability Initiative underlines the commitment and efforts of the Ministry of Health to create a health care system that emphasizes a culture of saving such as the use of energy, water, paper, medical waste management and infrastructure to all staff in all hospitals and health centers in Brunei Darussalam.
Since the use of the BruHealth system, he explained, the Ministry of Health has been able to reduce 1.5 million paper usage which is equivalent to 3,750 kilograms of carbon each year.
“The use of BruHealth for teleconsultation services, booking appointments online can also reduce the use of paper and the use of cars to attend the health center which reduces approximately 5 to 10 kilograms of carbon emissions,” he said.
In addition, the use of digital medical imaging technology (PACS) can also reduce film processing and repeated scans which is equivalent to 15 kilograms of carbon emissions per patient.
However, the estimated clinical waste for the ministry in a year is 1,030 tons which is equivalent to $1.8 million in disposal costs. Yang Berhormat Dato intends to reduce the clinical waste by 30 percent within 5 years.
“The Ministry of Health hopes that more people will understand and participate to make changes in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change that are harmful to health,” he added.
Caption: Photo by Muiz Matdani
