By Florence Temu
As October approaches, all roads will lead to Zanzibar, the Indian Ocean archipelago, for the 11th Tanzania Health Summit. A thousand-plus health stakeholders from across 20 countries, including Tanzania will convene to discuss “Igniting progress: joining efforts for quality healthcare through public-private partnerships.”
This critical conversation comes at a time when governments worldwide are grappling with the pressing challenges of climate change. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from undernutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress alone. The direct damage costs to health are projected to be between US$2–4 billion per year by 2030.
During the summit, we will set the conversation on the urgent issue of climate change and its impact on including water security, food supply, and to the spread of vector-borne diseases in Tanzania, through a forum, titled: ” Strengthening Primary Health Facilities and Community Systems in Preparedness and Adaptation to Climate Change”.
In this forum, a team of experts and partners (from Amref, UNICEF, USAID, and Ministry of Health) will discuss in detail the preparedness and adaption processes in globally and in country as we strive to build climate resilient communities as well as their respective primary health care systems. By raising awareness, fostering collaboration, and promoting innovative solutions, we can work towards a healthier and more sustainable future for our country. Why?
Tanzania, including many African nations, are disproportionately affected by climate change despite contributing less than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that climate-related illnesses, premature deaths, malnutrition, and threats to mental health are on the rise. Human activities have caused significant damage to ecosystems, leading to increased temperatures and extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes.
These occurrences have negatively impacted air, food, water, shelter, and social infrastructure, jeopardizing our health and existence.
The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the IPCC highlights that in East Africa, malaria has spread to higher altitudes, while warmer temperatures are increasing infection rates. Rising temperatures are also contributing to spikes in cholera cases, particularly following tropical cyclones. Human mobility, water management, and sanitation practices further influence the transmission of vector-borne and waterborne diseases.
The frequent and intensified droughts and floods experienced in most parts of Africa are driving infections to new heights.
Heat-related deaths are also on the increase, with tens of millions of Africans exposed to extreme heat. For instance, the report finds that in South Africa, about 43.8% of heat-related deaths from 1991 to 2018 were attributable to climate change.
Additionally, climate change impacts agriculture through droughts and floods, leading to reduced food security and its cascading effects on nutrition. This has long-term consequences for child development, educational achievements, and pregnancy outcomes.
A worldwide study of 51 countries affected by the El Niño Southern Oscillation, most of which were in Africa, found that about 5.9 million additional children became underweight in 2015–2016. Africa is at risk of increased cases of malaria, waterborne diseases, malnutrition, and heat stress-related conditions. Extreme weather events can also cause serious damage to healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.
There are documented cases of floods and cyclones destroying health posts in affected communities. According to WHO, at least 56% of the 2121 public health events recorded between 2001 and 2021 were climate-related.
Floods can also damage other essential infrastructure at health facilities, compromising water treatment, sanitation facilities, and leading to disease outbreaks. The rate of temperature increase in Africa has accelerated in recent decades, making extreme weather events and climate hazards more severe.
The IPCC highlights that these impacts are unevenly distributed across and within societies and will continue to be experienced inequitably due to differences in exposure and vulnerability. Africa’s limited capacity to cope with cascading and compounding risks exacerbates this vulnerability.
Despite the dire situation, financing for climate adaptation remains insufficient. This scenario has made Africa one of the most vulnerable continents. With increased disease burden due to climate change, many African governments are stretched for resources, diverting funds from critical healthcare services to address climate change disasters.
Some countries are already spending as much as 9 percent of their Gross Domestic Products (GDPs) on climate adaptation support.
Climate change also disproportionately impacts the health of women and girls in marginalized communities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Worsening climatic changes negatively affect gender inequalities, widening the g gap through socioeconomic, cultural, and physiological factors.
Several African countries are investing in climate-resilient health systems, such as renewable energy for health facilities, capacity building, and strengthening early warning systems.
The international community must continue to call for deep, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation).
They must also commit to strengthening climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building policies to maximize health gains from mitigation and adaptation actions. Close partnerships with indigenous peoples, local communities, women and girls, children and youth, healthcare workers, and vulnerable populations are essential.
Amref Health Africa Tanzania is implementing a strategic, integrated approach to combat climate-induced health challenges. At a broader picture, this strategy is addressing climate-related effects being major contributors of social determinants of health.
With emphasis on primary health care, on health systems and services delivery, while targeting infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, diseases outbreaks, one-healthh, undernutrition, and gender disparities, to mention some, we are emphasizing on WASH interventions including infrastructures as we promote community resilience with deliberate adaptation interventions.
Through collective action with stakeholders on climate and health, we aim to drive more investments, bolster coordination, and propel evidence-based interventions. This will amplify our efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation, ultimately fostering enduring health advancements.
The author is the Country Director for Amref Health Africa in Tanzania. The opinions expressed here are the author’s and don’t necessarily reflect the editorial position of The Citizen.
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
