AMA urges action on health impacts of climate change

The Australian Medical Association has warned that a national strategy for climate change and human health is urgently needed to deal with an increasing number of deaths caused by extreme summer heatwaves.

The AMA told a Senate inquiry into the impacts of climate change that “healthcare preparedness must be a central concern” for all state and federal climate mitigation and adaptation policies.

It says there is also an increased risk of vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever and malaria due to warming temperatures in Australia.