This week the column examines what Australia and other countries can learn from Thailand about funding public health and also links readers into the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the latest news on pandemic planning, the Australian National Surveillance Plan for COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV, and the 6th Planetary Health Annual Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
We also link readers to a free download on a new book that is bound to have plenty of timely and useful insights for the health sector, Journalism as the Fourth Emergency Service Trauma and Resilience.
The quotable?
As oncologists, we’ve witnessed how extreme weather events have disrupted treatment for our patients. Delays caused by storms or flooding or wildfires can disrupt the timing of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, eroding precious weeks from life-saving treatment schedules.
These weather occurrences, which are growing more frequent and severe due to climate change, highlight an urgent need to prepare healthcare facilities, communities, and medical professionals for the impacts of climate change on cancer treatment.”
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
The largest global annual gathering of Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, is holding its 23rd session at UN Headquarters on the lands of the Lenape people in New York (15-26 April).
According to a UN report, in the opening ceremony David Choquehuanca, Vice-President of Bolivia, highlighted the role of Indigenous Peoples in putting the planet first.
“We must transition from an anthropocentric to a biocentric approach to ensure our youth hands over a healthier Mother Earth to the generations to come. This necessitates redirecting financial resources directly into the hands of Indigenous Peoples, the stewards of our planet’s biodiversity,” he said.
The theme highlights Indigenous Peoples’ rights to self-determination and voices of Indigenous youth. A key component in ensuring the right to self-determination is access to financing, to enable Indigenous Peoples to better assert their rights, pursue their economic, social and cultural development and fund their governance structures, as stipulated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The Forum also pressed for special attention on promoting Indigenous women-led initiatives to strengthen their economic rights.
All sessions can be viewed live on UN Web TV.
The National Indigenous Times has reported on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth delegates from the National Native Title Council addressing the Forum.
They noted that discussions around this year’s theme are highly relevant to Australian First Nations people, as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is yet to be implemented in a way that upholds the right to self-determination in Australian legislation and regulatory systems.
The delegation also called on the Australian Government to ensure secure and ongoing funding direct to Traditional Owner Representative Institutions, and to adopt national legislation to incorporate UNDRIP in a process that is led by First Nations peoples.
Planetary health crisis
As the Australian Government backs away from planned environmental reforms, new research has highlighted the devastating economic toll of climate change that is already locked in.
The world economy faces an income reduction of 19 percent within the next 26 years independent of future emission choices, according to research in Nature, The economic commitment of climate change in regions with lower cumulative historical emissions and lower present-day income.
The researchers stress that the findings are conservative as their estimates do not include impacts from heatwaves, sea-level rise, tropical cyclones, and human health.
See the Academy statement.
Nature: UN plastics treaty: don’t let lobbyists drown out researchers
Newsweek: Warning as Microplastics Escape Gut to ‘Infiltrate’ Brain
Guardian: ‘Simply mind-boggling’: world record temperature jump in Antarctic raises fears of catastrophe
Accelerating Climate Action Through Academic Health Systems
How extreme weather is disrupting cancer care
The authors write: “As oncologists, we’ve witnessed how extreme weather events have disrupted treatment for our patients. Delays caused by storms or flooding or wildfires can disrupt the timing of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, eroding precious weeks from life-saving treatment schedules. These weather occurrences, which are growing more frequent and severe due to climate change, highlight an urgent need to prepare healthcare facilities, communities, and medical professionals for the impacts of climate change on cancer treatment.”
https://www.orygen.org.au/About/News-And-Events/2024/Six-in-10-young-Aussies-worry-about-climate-change
Conference watch
The 6th Planetary Health Annual Meeting is being held in Kuala Lumpur. Follow #PHAM2024.
BMJ: Planetary health: challenging power and privilege is key to a fairer and healthier future
Global health
Health Policy Watch: Latest Pandemic Agreement Draft Keeps Equity Hopes Alive – But Defers Key Operational Decisions
See X/Twitter thread on Pandemic Accord
See policy options from the Ministry of Imagination
BMJ:Tying health taxes to health promotion is popular and effective in Thailand
“Thailand is one of only a few countries where taxes on unhealthy goods are dedicated to health promotion at the population level. The Thai Health Promotion Fund (ThaiHealth) is a public organisation established in 2001 that aims to tackle the commercial determinants of health and other health risks, including alcohol and tobacco consumption and traffic injuries.1 It is wholly funded by a two percent surcharge, in addition to excise tax, on tobacco and alcohol and has a multisectoral governing board that includes the prime minister, the minister for public health, and appointed experts. ThaiHealth works with multisectoral partners, including government agencies and civil society networks in all 77 provinces. Its work has broad support and has coincided with improvements in some disease risk factors. Other countries should consider this model.”
First Nations health news
National Indigenous Times: Truth telling has never been more important than it is right now
Justice matters
A recommended LongRead from the United States: For many years, Kentuckians have been fighting the construction of a federal prison. This article profiles community resistance to the imposition of prisons in poor, rural areas and critically examines some of the public health issues involved.
Public health
https://povertyandinequality.acoss.org.au/inequality-in-australia-who-is-affected-and-how/
Australian National Surveillance Plan for COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV
#CroakeyREAD (and listen)
Free download: Journalism as the Fourth Emergency Service Trauma and Resilience
Misinformation and disinformation
In an interview today with ABC Radio, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland was talking tough on plans for tougher regulation of the misinformation and disinformation. It’s not before time.
Events
