The £3 million RESHAPE study investigates the impact of climate change on global healthcare resilience, focusing on responses in Malawi, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Uganda to extreme weather events. Led by De Montfort University Leicester and the University of East Anglia, this collaborative research aims to devise strategies for strengthening healthcare systems in facing climate challenges and will produce new international standards for healthcare resilience policy.
Researchers have initiated an innovative £3 million study entitled RESHAPE – RESilience in HeAlth Post-Extreme weather events – to evaluate the impact of climate change on the resilience of healthcare systems worldwide. This collaborative project unites scholars and communities from various regions, including Malawi, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Uganda, all of which are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events resulting from climate change. The aim is to understand the diverse responses of healthcare providers to these environmental challenges. The project is spearheaded by De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) with Dr. Brahim Herbane, an expert in business resilience, serving as the business continuity lead. Dr. Herbane intends to engage directly with local partners and stakeholders throughout the research’s progression. He states, “The premise is that the effects of climate change are increasing, and we are seeing more extreme weather events which will then impact on healthcare. The research looks at how healthcare systems currently mitigate those impacts and how we can co-create more resilient systems.” Dr. Herbane shared insights from an early visit to Malawi, where he observed the profound disruptions that extreme weather can inflict on healthcare delivery. “We went to a village for a community engagement and involvement meeting and it was raining intensely, to the point where we couldn’t actually hear each other in the meeting because the rain was hitting the metal roof of our building so heavily. We just about managed to leave the village through flooded roads and heavy mud to find the hospital where we were due to visit next was completely flooded. The hospital staff were stoical about the disruption they faced because it is a common occurrence for them, but to witness a torrent of water running through a hospital building and a flooded operating theatre served as a reminder of why this research project will be beneficial to vulnerable communities.” Led by the University of East Anglia (UEA), the study aims to illuminate the considerable challenges posed by climate change and formulate effective strategies to enhance healthcare systems’ resilience. Dr. Herbane noted, “We are looking at what is in place on the ground to respond to and recover from extreme weather events. Ultimately, we want to develop a new international standard for healthcare system resilience and to reshape healthcare resilience policy.” The project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through UK international development funding aimed at advancing global health research. Collaborating institutions include the Kamuza University of Health Sciences and Patient and Community Welfare Foundation in Malawi, Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit in Tanzania, Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda, and Hanoi University of Public Health in Vietnam, alongside prominent UK institutions such as the University of Leeds and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The study of healthcare systems’ resilience in the light of climate change is becoming increasingly pertinent as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe. This £3 million research project, RESHAPE, taps into crucial global health challenges faced by low to middle-income countries. By examining how communities and healthcare providers respond to these challenges, the project seeks to develop frameworks that not only address immediate impacts but also foster long-term resilience against future climate-related adversities. The collaboration among various universities and health institutions underscores a collective approach to addressing these global health issues.
In conclusion, the RESHAPE project represents a significant initiative aimed at understanding and enhancing the resilience of healthcare systems against the growing threats posed by climate change. Through collaboration across various countries and institutions, the research aspires to produce actionable insights that can help mitigate the impacts of extreme weather on vulnerable communities. The overarching goal is to create sustainable healthcare systems capable of handling the challenges posed by an increasingly volatile climate, thereby protecting public health on a global scale.
Original Source: www.dmu.ac.uk
