Climate change threatens the stability of Tunisia’s environmental conditions and national healthcare system.
Unstable environmental conditions lead to detrimental effects in Tunisia’s healthcare and population
Tunisia, a nation in North Africa, suffers from heightened exposure to climate threats. With an intense environmental location, the nation is at risk during its hot and dry summers and temperate and rainy winters, according to apps.who.int.pdf. Even with a developing healthcare system that has supported more than 90 percent of the nation’s population, the lack of medical workers and a stable health infrastructure threatens Tunisia’s current stability as climate change continues, according to climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org.
One of the most immediate effects of climate change on Tunisia’s healthcare system is the increase in extreme weather events such as heatwaves and floods. The devastating impact of these events can have a dire effect on public health and target vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with chronic health conditions. Exhaustion, dehydration, and other heat-related illnesses are only a few of the harsh outcomes heatwaves can have on the population of Tunisia. At the same time, floods can cause injuries, waterborne diseases, and the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, according to apps.who.int.pdf.
Rises in the sea levels along the coast of Tunisia are immediate major concerns for the World Health Organization. As sea levels rise, coastal areas risk flooding and erosion, which can lead to the displacement of populations and impact the production of food. This not only harms the nation’s population but also disrupts its economic progress and harms infrastructure, threatening the progress of Tunisia’s healthcare system, according to apps.who.int.pdf.
Ultimately, the threat climate change poses to Tunisia’s global healthcare system and the progress it has made over the years increases as the global climate crisis surges. Temperatures rise, sea levels increase, and the risk of extreme weather events, flooding, and the spread of vector-borne diseases increase as time progresses, putting many lives at risk.
Featured Image by Zara Black ’23