World Health Day
07 April 2024 – As we observe World Health Day, SAYWHAT proudly stands in solidarity with the global community under the theme “My Health, My Right.” This theme underscores the fundamental principle that every child, adolescent, student, and youth have the right to access essential healthcare services, education, and information. Every young person deserves access to quality healthcare services, including prevention, treatment, and care for major public health concerns such as HIV, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis.
On this World Health Day, SAYWHAT acknowledges the escalating global climate crisis and its devastating impacts on young people’s health and well-being. Changing climate conditions worsens maternal and child health outcomes, deteriorates access to basic human needs such as food security, safe drinking water and clean air, and exerts significant strains on health systems.
On the 2nd of April 2024, the president of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Dr E. D. Mnangagwa declared a “State of Disaster” Following El Nino induced drought. SAYWHAT recognizes the consequences of such extreme weather events including food and water security at community and national level. Adequate water, sanitation and hygiene have a direct correlation with averting water borne diseases including cholera and typhoid.
During extreme weather events such as droughts, children, pregnant mothers, people with disabilities, diabetics, and people living with HIV are the most affected and vulnerable to accessing food and nutrients they need to adhere to treatment so that they can live healthy and productive lives. Droughts also tend to lengthen the distances that Adolescent Girls and Young Women who bear the primary responsibility for fetching water must travel as most water sources may no longer be perennial because of reduced rainfall.
Climate change induced drought also has secondary impacts such as daughters being married off at an early age in return for dowry as a copying mechanism. Early marriage reduces the age of sexual debut and early sexual debut is associated with higher risks of contracting HIV and gender-based violence. In addition, there is a high mortality rate among children born to teenage mothers and the mothers themselves. Findings presented by the Ministry of Health and Childcare in collaboration with other partners on the 3rd National Assessment on Adolescent Pregnancies in Zimbabwe in January 2024 showed increase in the number of pregnant girls 15-19 testing HIV positive in antenatal bookings between 2021-2022 and 1,532 maternal deaths among the sample population.
On World Health Day, SAYWHAT reaffirms its dedication to disseminating information and educating young people on climate action and asserting their right to good health. We believe youth involvement in climate action is crucial and the choices young people make today will impact current and future generations. In collaboration with other partners, we are committed to supporting young people to respond to the greatest health challenge humanity faces. When youths take action on climate change mitigation and adaptation including educating their peers, raising awareness in their communities behavioral change towards protecting our environment will be observed.
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