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Croakey: As devastating floods raise wide-ranging health concerns, experts stress importance of planning for future climate events

Croakey: As devastating floods raise wide-ranging health concerns, experts stress importance of planning for future climate events

The record-breaking floods in the Kimberley region of Western Australia have had far-reaching impacts on communities, infrastructure, transport, emergency, and health services.

Experts have called on federal and state governments to prioritise the needs of affected communities and to ensure infrastructure planning for rural and remote areas responds to the increasing risk of climate-related events, such as flooding.

GP and DEA Board member Dr Richard Yin warned that the problem of climate change impacts cannot be approached in silos.

The 2020 Climate Health WA Inquiry final report identified the need for an overarching framework or plan to guide climate change adaptation across the WA health system and ensure a systemic response.

There is much within the Final Report that needs to be acted on – if WA is to be prepared for climate change impacts, Yin said.

The article was published in Croakey on 12 January 2023