Healthcare official: Climate change affects frequency of diseases among people

Climate change affects the types and frequency of diseases among people, Vugar Gurbanov, the Executive Director of Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB) in Azerbaijan, said at the One Health approach event within COP29, Report informs.

Gurbanov specifically highlighted zoonotic diseases, infections transmitted from animals to humans:

"Recent pandemics show us the close connection between human, animal, and environmental health. This leads us to the One Health concept. According to the World Health Organization, more than 70% of new infections in recent years have zoonotic origins. This is the result of human interference in ecosystems, reduced biodiversity, and increased contact with wildlife."

According to the TABIB head, medical measures alone are not sufficient to prevent pandemics; activities towards nature protection, sustainable agricultural development, and environmental restoration are also necessary.