El Niño in the Americas: Protecting health and promoting resilience

To register for the course, visit: https://moodle.iai.int/ 

Introduction

Moderate El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific, setting the stage for rising temperatures and disruptive weather and climate patterns across the Americas. Under these conditions, changes in vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, food and water insecurity and instability, exposure to extreme heat and air pollution, and increased risk of extreme weather events are expected to impact health. Health systems are on the front lines and must respond in a timely and proactive manner to protect human health.

Course objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Describe the expected meteorological effects of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in your region and the possible health consequences.

Explain how ENSO conditions can affect health through extreme temperatures, changes in vector-borne diseases and zoonoses impacts on food and water security, poor air quality, and extreme weather events such as floods, landslides, droughts, and hurricanes.

Develop an initial local/regional/national response plan using available risk management and decision-making tools and recommendations from authorized health partners.

Course Modality

This is a self-study course that participants can take at their own pace. There are no specific deadlines to complete it. It is recommended that you spend about 24 hours reviewing the course material.