Through the Harnessing Synergies between Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction in Migrant-Inclusive Health System Responses project, the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), is supporting Iraq’s efforts to safeguard communities from the mounting health impacts of climate change.

The US$ 3.2 million project, part of the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (M-MPTF), supports the Government of Iraq as it integrates climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction plans into health policy to ensure host and migrant populations benefit from stronger, more inclusive health systems.

Iraq is grappling with some of the most serious climate conditions in the region. Temperature rises are among the fastest globally. Droughts, water scarcity and dust storms have become more common and severe and are already impacting public health, increasing the incidence of respiratory and waterborne diseases and putting pressure on health facilities and workers. Migrants and internally displaced people are among the most affected.

WHO is joining forces with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environment and other national institutions to advance Iraq’s capacity to address the health consequences of climate change through the development of migrant-inclusive adaptation plans, building the skills of health personnel to respond to climate-related diseases and raising awareness among communities on the health risks associated with climate change.