Health Sector Plan for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the State of Bahia, Brazil
1
Bahia State Health Department, Government of the State of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A427
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
Climate change represents a critical challenge for public health1,2,3, affecting social and environmental determinants in the state of Bahia. Extreme events, such as droughts and floods, have altered the epidemiological profile, requiring a response from the Unified Health System (UHS) to protect the population3. The plan aims to strengthen the capacity of the UHS in Bahia in the prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery from the impacts of climate change. Developed through an intersectoral process by the Bahia State Department of Health, integrating scientific evidence and national and international legal frameworks, the methodology included a situational diagnosis and the definition of six strategic action axes for the period 2026–2035: governance, integrated surveillance, resilient health care, sustainable infrastructure, education, and protection of vulnerable populations. With 85.2% of Bahia’s territory located in the semi-arid region, the diagnosis revealed projections of increasing temperatures and severe water stress by 2050. Environmental racism and territorial exclusion in precarious urban areas and traditional communities (quilombola and Indigenous) were highlighted as factors that exacerbate inequities, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality from disasters and waterborne diseases among these groups. The plan established 39 actions and targets across the axes, including technical support to 100% of municipalities for the development and implementation of emergency plans, the creation of climate risk maps, and early warning systems for heat waves. Actions by the Rapid Response Team for emergencies have already been carried out in the territory since the plan’s inception. Additionally, it is projected that health facilities will incorporate renewable energy systems and that the new projects will comply with climate resilience criteria. The implementation of the plan is essential to promote climate justice and health equity, as well as to strengthen the resilience of the UHS in Bahia, requiring territorialized actions and affirmative policies that protect historically marginalized groups.
Climate change represents a critical challenge for public health1,2,3, affecting social and environmental determinants in the state of Bahia. Extreme events, such as droughts and floods, have altered the epidemiological profile, requiring a response from the Unified Health System (UHS) to protect the population3. The plan aims to strengthen the capacity of the UHS in Bahia in the prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery from the impacts of climate change. Developed through an intersectoral process by the Bahia State Department of Health, integrating scientific evidence and national and international legal frameworks, the methodology included a situational diagnosis and the definition of six strategic action axes for the period 2026–2035: governance, integrated surveillance, resilient health care, sustainable infrastructure, education, and protection of vulnerable populations. With 85.2% of Bahia’s territory located in the semi-arid region, the diagnosis revealed projections of increasing temperatures and severe water stress by 2050. Environmental racism and territorial exclusion in precarious urban areas and traditional communities (quilombola and Indigenous) were highlighted as factors that exacerbate inequities, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality from disasters and waterborne diseases among these groups. The plan established 39 actions and targets across the axes, including technical support to 100% of municipalities for the development and implementation of emergency plans, the creation of climate risk maps, and early warning systems for heat waves. Actions by the Rapid Response Team for emergencies have already been carried out in the territory since the plan’s inception. Additionally, it is projected that health facilities will incorporate renewable energy systems and that the new projects will comply with climate resilience criteria. The implementation of the plan is essential to promote climate justice and health equity, as well as to strengthen the resilience of the UHS in Bahia, requiring territorialized actions and affirmative policies that protect historically marginalized groups.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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