Cli-Health Program Launch Event

On October 23, 2024, the Global Health Institute (GHI) at the American University of Beirut - in collaboration with our Institute, the Asfari Institute for Civil Society & Citizenship and with the support of IDRC and the Ford Foundation - launched the Cli-Health Program (CHP), focusing on addressing the critical intersection of climate change, health, and social justice, with an emphasis on supporting vulnerable communities in the MENA region. Speakers during the e-launch included: Shadi Saleh, GHI Founding Director; Saba Al Mubaslat, Ford Foundation Middle East and North Africa Director; Montasser Kamal, Director of Global Health IDRC Canada; Zainab Awad, Manager of the Cli-Health Program; Nour El Arnaout, GHI Associate Director; Myrna Doumit, Professor at the AUB Hariri School of Nursing and health systems expert; Kenza Khomsi, climate, air quality, and environmental health expert; Lina Abou Habib, Director of the Asfari Institute; and Yara Mourad, IFI Assistant Director.

In his opening remarks, AUB President Dr. Fadlo Khuri noted that climate change is affecting healthcare in resource-poor regions, most notably in the MENA region. He stressed that the nexus between climate change, healthcare availability, social justice, gender, and disparities are all interrelated with how the world will adapt to the growing challenges of climate change and global warming in the years to come.
 
Introducing the program and its main objectives, Shadi Saleh noted that as part of GHI’s support of Lebanon’s health system, the launch of CHP presents a pivotal opportunity to tackle climate change, health status, and social justice. This nexus is significant, due to the intricacies of the global health challenges. Moreover, one of the reasons behind the CHP’s launch is to ascertain that GHI will continue supporting the sector, regardless of all the challenges being faced by Lebanon.
 
Meanwhile, in her remarks, IFI’s Yara Mourad emphasized the urgent need for policies at national and regional levels to mitigate the impact of climate change on health. She highlighted critical areas such as strengthening healthcare systems to address climate-related pressures, promoting climate-smart urban planning to combat the urban heat island effect, and ensuring water and food security through sustainable practices. Mourad also stressed the importance of regional cooperation, particularly in health monitoring, water management, and addressing climate-driven migration. She concluded by advocating for effective policy implementation through cross-sector collaboration, public awareness campaigns, and international financial support.