Climate & Health for Community and Healthcare Stakeholders in The Bahamas

Community stakeholders and healthcare professionals can do something together about the climate and health crisis!

Training Days: December 13 & 14, 2022

Locations: New Providence | Grand Bahama | Abaco - Marsh Harbour

Locations:

Nassau: The Balmoral Club, #78 Sanford Dr, Nassau, Bahamas

Grand Bahama: Grand Lucayan, G966+W4 Freeport, The Bahamas

Abaco: Abaco Beach Resorts, Bay St, Marsh Harbour, Bahamas

 
Day 1 (December 13): Climate and Health Training

Module 0: Introduction to climate and health | Slide Deck | Video Recording

Presenting Faculty: Dr James Hospedales

Learning Objectives:

• Describe links between climate and health, pertaining to the ongoing health outcomes in the Bahamas
• Describe the roles and responsibilities of community members and health professionals in adapting and mitigating the climate and health crisis and how this links to the Alma Ata Primary Care for All Community Engagement in Health
• Explain how joint health sector and community efforts together can protect and improve health in the face of climate change.

Module 1: Overview of Climate Change & Extreme Heat | Slide Deck | Video Recording

Presenting Faculty: Dr. Cecilia Sorensen

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how climate change is affecting temperatures in the Bahamas and predictions for the next 20-30 years.
• Define heat stress/stroke and “heat sensitive” health conditions including: Heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, mental health and pregnancy.
• Identify individuals and populations who are vulnerable to heat illness, and ways they can protect their health and the health system can respond.
• Explore the role of heat early warning systems and other community-based measures in preventing negative health outcomes.

Resource:

• Ten Things You Can Do To Prevent Heat Illness - Handout

Module 2: Hurricanes and Flooding  Slide Deck | Video Recording

Presenting Faculty: Dr. William Hamilton and Dr James Schultz

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the ways in which climate change increases the risk of extreme events such as hurricanes, extreme precipitation, floods and droughts in the Bahamas.
• Identify short-term and long-term health threats to individuals and communities impacted by extreme weather events (direct impacts, mental health outcomes, trauma, exacerbation of NCDs, etc) and what may lead to increased vulnerability.
• Discuss how disasters impact mental health, specifically in regards to stress disorders, depression, domestic abuse, violence and aggression, and substance abuse.
• Define how communities and health systems can prepare for and respond to extreme weather events, including communication, early warning, cooperation, preparedness, etc.

Resources:

• Be Prepared - Checklist for Beginning of Hurricane Season - Handout
• Be Prepared - As Storm Approaches - Handout
• Be Prepared - Emergency Supplies to Have at Home - Handout

Module 3: Degraded Air Quality and Non Communicable Diseases | Slide Deck | Video Recording

Presenting Faculty: Dr. Caleb Dresser

Learning Objectives:

• Define degraded air quality and describe the pathways through which fossil fuel use and climate change worsen air pollution.
• Discuss how air pollution worsens lung and heart disease.
• Identify populations in The Bahamas that are vulnerable to degraded air quality.
• Describe how individuals, communities and health professionals can protect both themselves and vulnerable patients or community members.
• Conceptualize locally actionable steps that could be taken to either improve local air quality or protect at-risk individuals during periods of time with poor air quality.

Resource:

• How Communities and Health Professionals Can Advocate to Reduce the Harms of Air Pollution- Handout

Module 4: Health Co-Benefits of Collaborative Climate Action | Slide Deck | Video Recording

Presenting Faculty: Dr. James Hospedales

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how healthcare facilities and homes in communities can become more resilient, greener, and cost efficient with frequent climate-related weather extremes.
• Identify cases of effective community action in mitigating/adapting to climate change.
• Describe the most effective actions which individuals and communities can take to decrease their environmental impact while improving their health

Resources:

• Household Checklist - Worksheet
• 10 Ways We Can Together Fight The Climate Crisis - Handout

Day 2 (December 14): Climate and Health Advocacy Network

Module 1: Introduction to Collaborative Advocacy | Slide Deck

Module 2: Terms of Reference for the Climate and Health Advocacy Network (CHAN) | Slide Deck

Module 3: Developing a Work Plan for Sustainability | Slide Deck

Workshop Structure:

This workshop was developed in collaboration between the Ministory of Health and Wellness, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, EarthMedic/EarthNurse and the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, Columbia University, with the aim to address a knowledge gap on the linkages between climate change and health and propose ways to strengthen the capacity of the community and the health sector to respond to health threats caused by climate change. To this end, the workshop includes a review of the basic concepts of climate change, including avoidable causes and triggers and the direct and indirect consequences of climate change on health in the Bahamas.

This two-day workshop adheres to evidence-based knowledge and skills regarding the health impacts of climate change on health in the Bahamas. Participants can elect to attend the workshop in person at one of three different locations (New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco - Marsh Harbour). The workshop is structured into four modules, each with a case study with the goal of giving the learner an opportunity to become exposed to new knowledge and then practice applying the knowledge in a collaborative manner with interdisciplinary colleagues.  Each module is accompanied by suggested readings and resources as well as guides for action and application of information.

Audience:

This workshop is intended for: Community members and civil society leaders, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, public and private health workers, hospital administrators, health system leaders, health educators, policymakers, environmental health professionals, government officials, journalists, advocates, or those otherwise working in an area impacted by climate change in the Bahamas.

Key Goals:

1. Increase community member and health professionals’ knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy related to the climate crisis so they may work together prepare for and respond to climate and health impacts in their personal lives, their communities and their places of work
2. Strengthen community member and health professionals' community engagement knowledge and communication skills so they may work together, prepare for and respond to climate and health impacts in their personal lives, their communities, and their places of work
3. Build and strengthen an agile, informed, connected and collaborative community around climate and health through the development of a Climate and Health Advocacy Network of community members and healthcare professionals working together
4. Improve communication between health professionals and community members on the health impacts of climate change in order to encourage collaborative individual and community-level solutions

Faculty:

• Dr. James Hospedales, Founder, Earth Medic​ & EarthNurse
• Dr. Calae Philippe, Sr. Medical Officer, Focal Point for Climate Resilient Health System and Project Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Wellness
• Dr. Cecilia Sorensen, Director, Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, Columbia University ​
• Dr. William Hamilton, Medical Focal Point, Climate Change and Health Leadership Fellow, Ministry of Health and Wellness​
• Dr. Caleb Dresser, Assistant Director, Fellowship in Climate and Health, Harvard University​
• Dr. James Schultz​, Director, P3H: Protect & Promote Population Health in Complex Crises