"Yarmouk" launches a research project to enhance the capacity of health systems to address the repercussions of climate change in the Middle East and North Africa

The scientific session, moderated by the Director of the "Center" and the project's principal investigator, Dr. Mohammad Al-Batayneh, addressed the dimensions of the relationship between climate change and public health, and the research needs related to assessing health vulnerability and enhancing the response to climate risks at the regional level.

The Chairperson of the Department of Environmental Health at the American University of Beirut, Dr. May Jurdi, also presented an overview of the cooperation in the fields of climate and health and the regional vision of the project, while the project consultant, Dr. Munjed Al-Sharif from the German Jordanian University, reviewed the effects of climate change on health in Jordan, with a focus on assessing environmental risks and identifying priorities for adaptation and emergency preparedness.

For his part, Al-Batayneh presented the project's objectives, methodology, implementation plan, and expected outcomes, explaining the research work axes upon which it is based in assessing climate-related health vulnerability, and identifying the priorities and needs necessary to support health planning and enhance readiness for risks and emergencies.

The event concluded with a consultative discussion moderated by Dr. Ruba Al-Akash from the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology, with the participation of the project team and attendees. The discussion addressed the priorities of the participating entities, data sources, and the distribution of roles among partners, in addition to mechanisms for integrating gender equality and social inclusion into the implementation stages, and identifying the next steps to proceed in achieving the project's goals.

The project reflects the importance of employing scientific research to address growing health and environmental challenges by developing methodological tools to assess climate-related health vulnerability and enhance emergency preparedness, contributing to supporting health planning and raising the capacity of health systems to face risks and adapt to climate variables in the Middle East and North Africa region.