Lahore: Climate change poses a serious threat to pregnant women, babies and children which calls for urgent attention, said a UN report.
The report, named Call for Action, said climate change effects on maternal and child health have been neglected, underreported and underestimated.
The report highlights that very few countries’ climate change response plans mention maternal or child health, describing this as “a glaring omission and emblematic of the inadequate attention to the needs of women, newborns and children in the climate change discourse”.
“Climate change poses an existential threat to all of us, but pregnant women, babies and children face some of the gravest consequences of all,” said Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director General for Universal Health Coverage, Life Course at the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Children’s futures need to be consciously protected, which means taking climate action now for the sake of their health and survival while ensuring their unique needs are recognised in the climate response.”
The year 2023 has been marked by a series of devastating climate disasters. Wildfires, floods, heatwaves and droughts are displacing people, killing crops and livestock, and worsening air pollution.
An over-heating world is increasing the spread of deadly diseases like cholera, malaria and dengue, with dire consequences for pregnant women and children for whom these infections can be especially severe.
Research shows that harm can begin even in the womb, leading to pregnancy-related complications, preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth. For children, consequences can last a lifetime, affecting the development of their bodies and brains as they grow.