“The climate crisis is a health crisis.” So says Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization.
gave World Economic Forum Agrees its report this 12 months highlights how climate change is increasingly affecting global health because of extreme weather events.
These issues are also on the official agenda here, especially since severe Tropical Cyclone Gabriel caused widespread damage within the southwest Pacific and northern New Zealand in early 2023.
Between 13 and 14 February, there was a clash. East coast and Te Matau a Māui/Hawkes Bay, with devastating consequences for the land and its inhabitants. Communities were displaced, homes were destroyed, electricity and telecommunications were cut, water systems were disrupted, and lots of roads and bridges were badly damaged.
Shortly after Gabriel was hit, Minato Hoora/Ministry of Health commissioned us to analyze the impact of hostile weather events on the health system and community health and well-being.
Our community research teams interviewed 143 residents within the two affected areas. They included first responders, medical experts, council staff and members of the general public. His stories were emotional, powerful and insightful.
Our Recently published report Amplifies these community voices and native knowledge, and makes recommendations on planning for future, unavoidable events. Here we present five key messages.
1. Prioritize the weak.
Many elderly and disabled people or those with existing health conditions were left behind or just forgotten throughout the evacuation and in the times and weeks following the storm. As one community respondent in Tairāwhiti recalled:
Some of them couldn’t exit because they were too old and weak. The water was so powerful that he couldn’t move anywhere. Some stayed of their rooms until someone got here. For example, there was a girl. [who] He was stuck in a wheelchair, and when people found him, the water was as much as his neck.
Our report highlights the necessity for health and social services to be sure that at-risk, vulnerable older people and people Disability or complex needs Evacuation is prioritized, so their medical and physical needs are met during and after a severe weather event.
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2. Invest in mental health support and trauma recovery.
The most affected communities had high levels of stress, grief and trauma during and after emergencies and evacuations.
Staff and volunteers in frontline roles during emergencies experienced similar mental health effects. Many felt mental health support wasn't there after they needed it most.
Almost everyone we spoke to had a negative impact on their mental health. These included sleep disturbances, stress from rain and road closures, insurance claims and land instability.
Māori participants also spoke of their grief over environmental loss and destruction, highlighting the links between jabwa (land) and hoora (health). They described drawing on cultural practices to support whānau recovery. For example, a pacesetter of an area volunteer effort spoke concerning the storm's personal impact:
I used to be not good. […] It was seeing the impact on what it was like for your individual community whānau. I feel it hit me after some time. I fell into depression […] It's just built over time. I've been in healing for probably the last six to seven months since Gabrielle, just attempting to get my Wairoa. [spirit] And my Tina [body] And every part back in place.
Overall, the research demonstrates the necessity for greater awareness and investment in weather-related trauma recovery and mental health support.
3. Ensure that medical supplies can reach distant areas.
Rural and isolated communities had increased health challenges, particularly because of road and communication failures.
Transporting medical personnel to those communities often required creative solutions (eg driving when roads were damaged, using helicopters or mountaineering through bush and fields).
Access to medicines was a serious concern. A coordinated effort was needed to deliver pharmaceuticals to such communities. Helicopters were crucial in transporting supplies and supplies to patients out and in of distant areas. However, not everyone who needed attention received it.
The simplest response involves organizations (similar to NZ Police and Civil Defence) working closely with communities. As one police officer told us:
Our coast needed drugs, prescriptions. Accessing the home by helicopter was a challenge. So the police bent down and helped. We used [an all-terrain vehicle] To go to places and places to get medicine.
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4. Resource and support local support networks.
During the Emergency, the financially challenged health system was stretched and struggled with power and telecommunications outages. But we hear from many medical experts who go “above and beyond” to look after patients and communities.
Many continued to work even when their families, homes, and communities were in direct danger. Anticipating and supporting these employees shall be vital as hostile weather becomes more frequent with climate change.
We also found that mares, schools, local social services and non-profit organizations played key roles after the storm, but were often outside the direct reach of the health system.
People working in these organizations often have strong community ties and the knowledge needed to support emergency and recovery processes. These connections should be mapped and integrated for future events.
5. Diversify resources and create shared will.
Local communities are full of data. Many have learned from recent events to higher prepare their families, workplaces, and organizations.
Whānau told us concerning the importance of getting money in case of power outages and telecommunications failures. Others identified battery-powered radios as a very important source of knowledge when systems were down. Pharmacists and doctors spoke of the importance of hard copy evidence of prescriptions, which may be distributed when electronic systems are out.
Connecting with neighbors, sharing resources and taking outing for a cup of tea were all vital throughout the recovery and reconstruction phases. An vital lesson is to harness the ability of community connections, trust and relationships in climate change resilience and recovery.
Although knowledge, experience and wisdom are within the hands of communities, our research highlights how financial resources are largely held by central government. The challenge is to mobilize resources and construct a collective will for climate motion before the following inevitable event.
Here is the report. Gaining attention in Parliament. We hope that local experience is central to planning for the health impacts of climate change and to decision-making in any respect levels.