BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 22. The Azerbaijani Parliament has hosted the second meeting of the chairmen of the health committees of the parliaments of the member countries of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA), Trend reports.
Representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Türkiye, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and the TURKPA Secretariat took part in the meeting along with Azerbaijan.
The event featured discussions on “Climate Change and Health: Responding to the Health Impacts of Climate Change in Legislation".
As the Chairman of the Health Committee of the Parliament of Azerbaijan, the Commission on Environment and Natural Resources and Health Protection of TURKPA, Academician Ahliman Amiraslanov said diseases caused by environmental pollution pose a danger to children and the elderly.
He noted that the healthcare system today is faced not only with traditional problems but also with the consequences of climate change.
“Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and developing green technologies are among the main areas of work on this path. Azerbaijan, like other countries, is actively working to eliminate the consequences of climate change. We must take these issues seriously for the sake of the health of our citizens,” Amiraslanov added.
Chairperson of the Health, Family, Labor, and Social Affairs Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Vedat Bilgin, said that climate change and its effects on health are a global emergency.
Addressing the event, Bilgin emphasized that achieving a balance between humans and nature has always led to results that affect not just a single society or country, but potentially all of humanity.
“The cause of climate change in the modern era is the disruption of the natural interaction between people and nature. We also know that the rise in cancer cases is linked to climate change. This is happening in various countries and poses a threat to all of humanity.
The pollution extends beyond the air, affecting the soil as well. Even the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers causes damage to it,” Bilgin said.
Another speaker at the meeting, Kazakh MP Guldara Nurimova, said that climate change affects ecosystems, leading to the emergence of various diseases.
According to her, medical employees must be aware of the health impacts of climate change.
“We can protect our future from the negative impacts of climate change by acting together,” the MP added.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel