ABU DHABI, 28th November, 2023 (WAM) -- Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Reaching the Last Mile, the global health initiative, will convene the world’s most influential health leaders at COP28 to announce new commitments and partnerships in support of climate-health action.
The 2023 Reaching the Last Mile Forum will take place on Sunday, 3rd December within the COP28 Health Day. Held in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, it will act to galvanise new momentum towards mitigating the effects of the climate crisis on human health.
The one-day event will gather ministers, global health and development leaders, philanthropists, and advocates to highlight the importance of addressing the public health impacts of climate change, and the implications for infectious disease transmission.
The forum will also provide a platform for significant new announcements in support of eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and building sustainable health systems that leave no one behind.
H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs at the Presidential Court, which oversees Reaching the Last Mile, said, “Climate change threatens to undermine decades of improvements in human health, impacting the wellbeing of people worldwide. To continue to make progress against preventable diseases, and save and improve lives, we must work together to ensure health is central to the climate agenda.”
“Under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE is committed to safeguarding global health gains against the effects of climate change. We look forward to uniting with partners at the Reaching the Last Mile Forum to explore new solutions, share ideas, and to answer the call made by COP28 for tangible commitments towards a healthier future," he added.
The Reaching the Last Mile Forum will see expert speakers and guests explore how best to strengthen health systems and workforces to defend against climate and health shocks, and extend care to the hardest-to-reach communities.
Through panels and speeches, attendees will discuss new tools and interventions, integrated approaches, and highlight innovative financing models able to take climate-health solutions to scale.