From time to time the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, especially from burning of coal, oil and gas, continue to increase. On the other hand, efforts to reduce global warming and climate change are inadequate. Meanwhile, WHO has asserted that climate change will interfere with various important aspects that support human health, including clean air and water, adequate safe and nutritious food supply, safe and disease free shelter.
Head of UGM Center for Environmental Studies, Prof. dr. Hari Kusnanto Josef, Dr.PH. said due to the condition, strategies, policies and programs that aim to adapt to climate change are necessary, thus people are not harmed and even able to utilize them for health and welfare of the community.
"Climate change cannot be simply regarded solely as an environmental or development issue. Health and well-being of all human population will be increasingly threatened, too," said Hari on the sidelines of the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) preparation 2012 at the Grha Wiyata Building, UGM Faculty of Medicine, Wednesday (22/2).
Hari, also committee chairman of the ASM 2012, observes that the community has not been concerned in conducting health adaptation along with climate change. As a result, the effects of climate change on the health become more intense. He cited the case of widespread drought in some areas that cause food supplies disrupted.
"When food supplies are disrupted, consequently the health is impaired, too. Not to mention when rainy season is prolonged. Well, impaired sanitation due to lack of anticipation will lead to diarrhea," said Hari.
This condition also encouraged the academics and health professionals to provide a solution through the ASM 2012. Annual Scientific Meeting 2012 is a scientific activity which is annually held by KAGAMA Medicine since 2008. According to Hari, the number of ASM participants is increasing from year to year. In 2008 the number of ASM participants was many as 2500, it rose to 2800 in 2009 and 2010.
The event was held from 25 February to 22 March 2012 in the form of seminars and workshops. Some of the seminar topics in ASM 2012 include health promotion in adaptation to climate change, Disaster Response Hospital in the response to climate change, and tropical infectious diseases in climate change.
ASM 2012 which was held in the framework of 66th Faculty of Medicine Anniversary and 30th anniversary of Dr. Dr.Sardjito Hospital later will be followed by the alumni of the Faculty of Medicine, S1, S2, S3 students and general public.