Djibouti - Climate and Health Vulnerability Assessment

Abstract

Djibouti is highly vulnerable to climate change, which exerts immense impacts on human health, the environment, and the national economy. Climate change, combined with natural and human-induced health stressors, aggravates existing health burdens while simultaneously creating new health risks. Increasing temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and severe climate-related hazards, which influence the geographic range and burden of a variety of climate-sensitive health risks, are affecting human health in multiple ways. They include impacts on vector-borne diseases (VBDs), waterborne diseases (WBDs), health-related mortality and morbidity, air quality risks, direct injuries and mortalities, along with mental health and well-being risks. These climate-related health risks and hazards are putting more pressure on Djibouti’s already fragile health system, further undermining its adaptive capacity and resilience. The objective of this Climate and Health Vulnerability Assessment (CHVA) is to identify climate vulnerabilities and risks as well as adaptation gaps, along with providing recommendations to assist policy makers and practitioners with planning effective adaptation measures to deal with climate-related health risks.