Integrating Health in Impact Assessment: opportunities for Health Promotion post 2015

IAIA members together with WHO Europe and the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) have conducted a research about “Health Inclusion in Impact Assessment”. The preliminary findings were presented in Calgary at IAIA2013 to other Impact Assessment practitioners. This joint discussion further refined the papers, the overall conclusions, and recommendations on the way forward. The final publication will be available on all Institutions websites in the coming months. In the mean time we present a poster at the 8th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, starting next week in Copenhagen. The poster focuses on the role that Impact Assessment can play in the post 2015 agenda. This is a crucial time when new global sustainable goals are under scrutiny and discussion. The Final Report of the Global Thematic Consultation on Health states that “Health is central to sustainable development: health is a beneficiary of development, a contributor to development, and a key indicator of what people-centred, rights-based, inclusive, and equitable development seeks to achieve.” In this new post 2015 development framework the contributions of other sectors to health and wellbeing are clearly articulated. Impact Assessment is the existing and widely accepted process which can be applied to all sectoral policies, programs, and projects in order to secure health, minimize health risks, and maximize health opportunities.

Ghana Health Service recruits HIA and other health experts for a consultancy

The Ghana Health Service will conduct a strategic Health Impact Assessment (sHIA) of the country’s oil and gas development plan. The objectives of the sHIA are to:

• Generate a comprehensive review of human risks associated with different development scenarios for oil and gas sector, for example in the context of chemical spills, changes in communicable disease patterns, workplace based accidents and injuries etc.;

• Identify which interventions and response capacities would be needed to address those issues, including so as to not overwhelm existing health systems capacities;

• Establish a population health baseline, framework for use in monitoring and reporting of health impacts (both positive and negative) generated as a result of the growth of the petroleum industry;

• Develop Ghana’s institutional capacity for the use of HIA tools and methods for the eventual application to other sector policies, plans and projects, for example in mining, energy or agriculture.

The Ghana Health Service now invites eligible Consultants (Health Impact Assessment Specialists, Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Chemical Safety Specialists) to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Consultants should provide information indicating they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, curriculum vitae etc) Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.

A consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) of the Republic of Ghana.

Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below from 08.00hrs to 17.00 hrs GMT.

Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below on or before 14.00 hrs GMT, on September 03, 2012              

THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT

GHANA HEALTH SERVICE

LIMB FITTING CENTRE, TEMA STATION

NEAR RENT CONTROL

P.M.B. MINISTRIES

Tel:  (233) 0302 687853

Fax:  (233) 0302 687853 (for queries only)

E-mail: procurement@ghsmail.org

Hidden Heat: communicating climate change in Uganda

As HIA practitioners, we often assume that everybody knows about and understands what climate changes is and has a view on it just like we do. Most often this is not the case.

This is one of the few reports to examine the communication challenges in a low/middle income country. Through a series of 30 interviews with key climate change communicators, this

report identifies some of the challenges and opportunities of communicating climate
change in Uganda.

Click here to download the full report.

Key messages

• Central to the fight against climate change in Uganda is effective communication and public engagement.

• There is a major lack of co-ordination in the communication of climate change information in Uganda. Although several governmental and non-governmental bodies are potentially in a position to act as a central hub for climate change information and engagement, currently they are poorly funded and have a low public profile. Perhaps the most urgent priority for effective communication of climate change in Uganda is the development of a central co-ordinating body that can engage with all sectors of society.

• The media is not fully engaged in covering climate change – certainly not to the extent warranted by the seriousness of the threat. Training programmes to assist both journalists and editors are essential, but civil society organisations must also improve the way they engage with the media, packaging information in a clear and simple way and actively attracting media attention.

• Local languages lack terms for many key concepts involved in climate change –including ‘climate change’ itself.  Communicators should attempt to explain climate change using terms that already exist, using graphic examples of local environmental problems and innovative communication methods (e.g. dramatisation) to get the message across.

• At a national and international level, politicians are not being held to account for taking action on climate change – but this is partly because there is such little awareness of the international causes of climate change. Raising awareness about the role of industrialised nations in causing climate change, and pressuring national politicians to make greater progress at international negotiations is critical.

• At the local level, politicians tend to be poorly informed about climate change, yet local government structures represent a crucial opportunity for reaching large numbers of ordinary citizens. Sensitisation campaigns should focus on local politicians as a key constituency that can catalyse action on climate change.

• Indigenous knowledge about land management and the environment is incredibly valuable when trying to engage people on climate change – but it must be supplemented with scientific information about the causes and consequences of climate change. Climate change represents a significant challenge to indigenous ways of understanding the weather and farming – and so people must be supported with additional knowledge and information wherever possible, including the improved dissemination of meteorological information through local radio stations.

• National politicians have the task of developing a model of sustainable development that provides a higher standard of living for Ugandan citizens, but does not compromise the environment for future generations. This is a major challenge, but one in which as many different sectors of society as possible should be given a voice in. 

• What does a sustainable Uganda look like? Articulating a positive vision of sustainable development for Uganda will provide a major tool in effectively communicating the message of climate change – what is the alternative?

• Finally, awareness must be raised about the emerging carbon trading sector. There is the potential for carbon trading to deliver much-needed income to ordinary Ugandan citizens, but there are also major risks. An honest and open dialogue about the risks and benefits of carbon trading for Uganda is an essential first step to accessing the financial advantages that carbon trading may bring.

Hat tip: SDRN Network UK