Bridging the Gap Between Climate and Health Systems: The Value of Resilience in Facing Extreme Weather Events

With the rise in climate emergencies come complex challenges for the field of health systems that require equally complex strategies. Acknowledgement of the pressures experienced by health systems in relation to CC is increasing, but it remains understudied. This article aims to strengthen the link between climate and health systems by examining how health systems can incorporate resilience strategies to better respond to extreme weather events. Framed by an explorative literature search, the policy analysis dives into the content of the Health National Adaptation plans of both Fiji and Tanzania in relation to the WHO Operational Framework for building a climate-resilient health system. Our findings suggest updating the WHO Framework by adding additional elements under each component and by adding new components, namely human mobility and humanitarian aid. We recommend following a step-by-step 'system approach' to facilitate the integration of resilience building within health systems and to acknowledge the iterative aspect of this process.