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Wright CY, Kapwata T, du Preez DJ, Wernecke B, Garland RM, Nkosi V, Landman WA, Dyson L, Norval M. Major climate change-induced risks to human health in South Africa. Environ Res 2021; 196:110973. [PMID: 33684412 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There are many climatic changes facing South Africa which already have, or are projected to have, a detrimental impact on human health. Here the risks to health due to several alterations in the climate of South Africa are considered in turn. These include an increase in ambient temperature, causing, for example, a significant rise in morbidity and mortality; heavy rainfall leading to changes in the prevalence and occurrence of vector-borne diseases; drought-associated malnutrition; and exposure to dust storms and air pollution leading to the potential exacerbation of respiratory diseases. Existing initiatives and strategies to prevent or reduce these adverse health impacts are outlined, together with suggestions of what might be required in the future to safeguard the health of the nation. Potential roles for the health and non-health sectors as well as preparedness and capacity development with respect to climate change and health adaptation are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caradee Y Wright
- Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
| | - Thandi Kapwata
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg, 2094, South Africa; Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2094, South Africa
| | - David Jean du Preez
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; Laboratoire de l'Atmosphère et des Cyclones (UMR 8105 CNRS, Université de La Réunion, Météo France), 97744, Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
| | - Bianca Wernecke
- Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg, 2094, South Africa; Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2094, South Africa
| | - Rebecca M Garland
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; Climate and Air Quality Modelling Research Group, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa
| | - Vusumuzi Nkosi
- Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg, 2094, South Africa; Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2094, South Africa; School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Willem A Landman
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; International Research Institute for Climate and Society, The Earth Institute of Columbia University, New York, NY, 10964, USA
| | - Liesl Dyson
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Mary Norval
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, UK
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Garland RM, Matooane M, Engelbrecht FA, Bopape MJM, Landman WA, Naidoo M, Merwe JVD, Wright CY. Regional Projections of Extreme Apparent Temperature Days in Africa and the Related Potential Risk to Human Health. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2015; 12:12577-604. [PMID: 26473895 PMCID: PMC4626987 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph121012577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Regional climate modelling was used to produce high resolution climate projections for Africa, under a “business as usual scenario”, that were translated into potential health impacts utilizing a heat index that relates apparent temperature to health impacts. The continent is projected to see increases in the number of days when health may be adversely affected by increasing maximum apparent temperatures (AT) due to climate change. Additionally, climate projections indicate that the increases in AT results in a moving of days from the less severe to the more severe Symptom Bands. The analysis of the rate of increasing temperatures assisted in identifying areas, such as the East African highlands, where health may be at increasing risk due to both large increases in the absolute number of hot days, and due to the high rate of increase. The projections described here can be used by health stakeholders in Africa to assist in the development of appropriate public health interventions to mitigate the potential health impacts from climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Garland
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.
| | - Mamopeli Matooane
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
| | - Francois A Engelbrecht
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa.
| | - Mary-Jane M Bopape
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
- Meteorology Department, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6BB, UK.
| | - Willem A Landman
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa.
| | - Mogesh Naidoo
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
| | - Jacobus van der Merwe
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
| | - Caradee Y Wright
- Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa.
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De Ville K, Landman WA. Medical ethics, moral reasoning, and medical education: introduction to a special section of student essays. Curr Surg 2000; 57:149-50. [PMID: 16093048 DOI: 10.1016/s0149-7944(00)00198-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- K De Ville
- The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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Abstract
The principles of equality and equity, respectively in the Bill of Rights and the white paper on health, provide the moral and legal foundations for future health care for children in South Africa. However, given extreme health care need and scarce resources, the government faces formidable obstacles if it hopes to achieve a just allocation of public health care resources, especially among children in need of highly specialised health care. In this regard, there is a dearth of moral analysis which is practically useful in the South African situation. We offer a set of moral considerations to guide the macro-allocation of highly specialised public health care services among South Africa's children. We also mention moral considerations which should inform micro-allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- W A Landman
- East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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Abstract
The new South African constitution commits the government to guarantee "basic health services" for every child under 18. Primary health care for pregnant women and children under six and elements of essential primary health care have received priority. At present, there is little analysis of the moral considerations involved in making choices about more advanced or costly health care which may, arguably, also be "basic". This paper illustrates some of the tensions in setting priorities for a just macro-allocation of children's health care, given the realities of need and scarce resources, and the commitment to equality of basic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- W A Landman
- East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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