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Dr.Judith Kipeleka shares her experience at the Planetary Health Conference in Malaysia

PLANETARY HEALTH MEETING FEEDBACK

I Would like to have my sincerely appreciation To Nancy and Ken Morrison through Provision Charitable Foundation for the immense support that I and my family have received for years. Your generosity and kindness have touched our life in countless ways that are beyond words. Nancy and Ken have been rock and anchor to many Tanzanian providing unwavering support in various of ways but in specially way the connection that I have trough love and Lords favor its beyond the role of a benefactor you are my parents.Through your love and prayers by my side makes facing life challenges little easier. Thank you for endless support and love not just as parents but as my greatest allies. As I express my gratitude I am reminded that the truest form of appreciation is not on words alone, but in living by the values and principles that define our connection.

Planetary health summit 2024:

Planetary health is the “the achievement of the highest attainable standard of health, wellbeing, and equity worldwide through judicious attention to the human systems—political, economic, and social—that shape the future of humanity and the Earth’s natural systems that define the safe environmental limits within which humanity can flourish. Put simply, planetary health is the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends”Thanks to PCF, particularly Nancy and Ken, I had the opportunity to attend the Planetary Health Summit 2024 in Malaysia, themed "From Evidence to Action: Confronting Reality with Love." This experience has been incredibly transformative, deepening my understanding of the profound impact of climate change on human health and the urgent imperative to preserve our environment. What truly inspired me to participate in the conference was the chance to be part of a global movement dedicated to addressing these critical issues.

1.Through out my upbringing, agriculture has been integral to our way of life. Relying on our farm for sustenance and depending of weather patterns. I've witnessed firsthand how climate changes impact our agriculture, thus affecting our health directly. As a doctor working in hospitals, I've observed communities struggling with various forms of malnutrition, alongside a rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and mental health issues.

2.Working in public health particularly through involvement in different research program and being a member of planetary health club at Catholic University of health and allied science (CUHAS Club) where I did my medical school has been enlightening. It underscored the crucial role of medical professionals in educating communities about environmental changes and their profound implications for our health. It's clear that action is needed.

3.There's a significant gap in understanding the relationship between our health systems and meteorological data to comprehend disease patterns and optimize preventive measures. Bridging this knowledge gap is essential for effective public health interventions.

 

4.Seeking to learn from experts worldwide, I aimed to understand their approaches and strategies in addressing environmental health challenges unique to their regions. Their experiences and insights are invaluable in shaping effective interventions.

 

5. Aimed at Fostering collaboration with various entities to drive meaningful change in my community. By creating platforms for partnership and cooperation, we can amplify our impact and address environmental health issues holistically

 

6. to learn from expertise around the world and understand how they are doing in their region.

 

7. I aimed to create a platform for collaboration with different entities to bring about impactful change in my community.

What has been learnt

•Planetary health is really important component in our medical field and requires global attention

•Planetary health is beyond climatic change its provide insights on pollution, nutrition, ecosystem and biodiversity, Agriculture, infectious disease and pandemic preparedness, and non-communicable diseases

•Planetary health road map and action plan which compass for a global movement on Planetary Health and includes actionable steps for practitioners, policymakers, educators, and the general public across governance, education, communication, and business practices.

•Academic health institution’s declaration of Planetary Health" Drafted with the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), to advocate for the integration of planetary health concepts into medical school curricula. This declaration emphasizes the importance of understanding the interconnections between human health, environmental sustainability, and global well-being. signed on by all of Canada's academic health institutions and several others from around the world, calls on institutions to halt the negative impact of their activities on the planet’s natural system In Africa south Africa has signed the declaration and many countries are in the plan

.•Through networking, I discovered various funds available for indigenous communities that we can apply for to support our own community.

•There were many abstracts poster and discussion were done on different areas here are some of the:

I.Mental health impacts on the climate crisis Dr Britt from Stanford university

II.A tale of two journey living through the climate crisis Dr Nicole Redvers from university of western Ontario

III.Transforming food systems local solutions in Malysia

IV.Effective planetary health conversation with patients

V.Towards a zero waste society Dr.Adeela Bshir from national university of medical science pakistan

 

Opportunities.

PCF trough agriculture projects to the indigenous people we can secure funds to support agriculture activities especially now with the climatic changes and impact to have adaptive crops suitable to climatic change.(Azimuth)

PCF through education program integrating to other universities we can seek for Chances of summer school programs/ exchange programs between Tanzanian university and other universities to build capacity to the team on planetary health.

We must ensure that PCF's impactful work receives strong visibility across media and various platforms. PCF's numerous contributions deserve to be seen and heard, not only benefiting our community today but also paving the way for a sustainable and impactful future for generations to come. 

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