Climate Exchange

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ealth

the health sector is key, as is the use of early warning systems for

climate-sensitive diseases.

Capacity-building for national, local and community-based organ-

izations will widen and strengthen services in this area. The CHWG

will organize and present to decision makers scientific evidence

on the impact of climate variability and climate change on health

and run an annual workshop on weather/climate and health issues,

collaborating with similar entities throughout the region to share

experiences and build on one another’s skills. Finally it will mobilize

resources to ensure the sustainability of this venture.

The creation of the CHWG has allowed for a focus on climate

health issues by bringing together all the stakeholders in a common

group to improve project management and to identify a focal point

for each disease. The group comprises eight health experts (one

each for malaria, plague, RVF and health and environmental issues,

and four for epidemiological surveillance), five climate experts

(climatology, weather forecasting, climate forecasting, research,

hydrology), and five NMHS climate specialists and one researcher

from the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar.

The CHWG identified priority activities such as staff training to allow

health and climate experts to reach a joint definition of needs in climate

services. Two workshop training sessions were organized with local and

IRI facilitators. The training improved knowledge of climate data and

information at national and international levels as well as methods for

accessing and manipulating existing databases to analyse and interpret

epidemiological and climate data. This has enabled the development of

products that meet the specific needs of health sector users.

Identified climate services needs for the health sector in

Madagascar include climate data from the health sentinel sites,

information on intraseasonal and seasonal climate outlooks

and risks (especially regarding floods in association with tropi-

cal cyclones or long wet spells), and weather and/

or climate data from locations reporting disease

outbreaks. Climate information and data are provided

free of charge to assist in epidemiological surveillance,

prevention and response, but also for the purpose of

climate health research activities.

Resources

Seasonal and Intraseasonal Climate Outlook

This publication is supplied to the health sector at

the end of the dry season, giving information on the

coming rainy season in terms of global trends, rainfall,

temperature, tropical cyclone activity, climate risks and

benefits. The publication is disseminated by the NMHS

through e-mail to all climate and health stakeholders at

the central level and is used by the Ministry of Health to

produce its Climate and Health monthly bulletin.

Climate data from the NMHS

This is provided free of charge upon request for research

or post-disease outbreak analysis. This product is aimed

at addressing longstanding difficulties with obtaining

historical epidemiological data.

Climate data from the health sentinel sites

There are about 40 sentinel sites for fever and/or

Syndrome de Deficit Respiratoire Aigu. The pilot

project funded the installation of six manual climate

stations and the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar

provided two automated stations. The Ministry of

Health and the NMHS signed a MOU defining the

The climate trainer inspects a climate station with health trainees

Image: Madagascar Met Services