Building Climate Resilient Health Systems: Panacea for Mitigating Climate Change Effects in Nigeria

Abstract Background Climate change has devastating effects on human health as well as the functioning and effectiveness of health systems, because it acts as a multiplier of existing stressors, intensifying pressure and exposing vulnerabilities. In the Sub-Saharan Africa region, Nigeria is projected to suffer from a variety of detrimental effects of climate change, leading to poor population health outcomes. Since 2007, climate change effects have led to over 800,000 deaths and affects the life expectancy of over 26 million people annually. Her health system is considered most vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to the accumulation of its vulnerability, leading to food insecurity, extreme weather and spread of diseases. Building climate resilience health system is key to combating the effects on health, hence the goal of this study. Methods The method design was qualitative using Key Informant Interviews. Participants were purposively included through a criterion-based snowball sampling approach. They were recruited through referrals and search on “LinkedIn” based on predefined inclusion criteria. A total of eighteen participants were recruited: representing government, civil society organizations and academia. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide and audio recorded using the Zoom online communication software. Data were analyzed deductively and inductively using MAXQDA software. Results Although adequate knowledge of the effects of climate change on health was noticeable such as heat wave, drought, flooding, irregular rainfall, climate-induced spread of diseases. However, there were: absence of consideration for climate risks and vulnerability in the health policies and plans; mitigation of climate change effects was not articulated in the health policies or programs; inadequate knowledge of and capacity to support climate resilience health system; climate-informed or resilient health policies and programs are not priority in view of other equally competing healthcare challenges. Other outcomes included insufficient funding, inadequate trained healthcare workers, overburdened healthcare system, knowledge gap between the scientific and policymaking communities. Conclusion Climate change is a multiplier of current health system stressors. Therefore, building climate resilient health system is as a firewall against those stressors long-term. A climate resilient health system is cost-effective, but the up-front investments need to be made now.