Impact of Climate Change on Health in Zambia

Climate change in recent years has continued to pose a great danger to human health. This phenomenon affects human life and the physical environment in which they live. According to the WHO (2023), changing climatic conditions have a significant impact on the frequency and intensity of weather and climate events. These climatic events include: storms, extreme heat, floods, droughts, and wildfires. All the mentioned hazards directly and indirectly affect human health by increasing the likelihood of health emergencies, the spread of infectious diseases, and the occurrence of non-communicable diseases, ultimately leading to death. It is reported that the most severe harms caused by climate change greatly affect communities that are least able to prepare for and recover from heat waves, poor air quality, flooding, and other impacts. This includes people living in low-income communities and migrants whose work and living conditions are exacerbated by climate change (Shivani, 2021). Therefore, there is a great need for a multi-sectoral approach in reducing the impact of this global hazard. Governments must develop more potent policies to address the health challenges posed by climate change. The international community's efforts to deal with climate change must be more robust and implemented rapidly to prevent further impact on the health of the world population.