Global health non-profit Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) has partnered with one of the world’s largest medical student bodies, the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA), to work towards climate justice, health equity and low carbon healthcare.

Announcing the partnership, Josh Karliner, International Director of Program and Strategy, Health Care Without Harm said, “this collaboration is an outcome of our shared vision and goal for a climate resilient, equitable and just world. We believe that this generation of young health professionals will drive the change and provide climate solutions needed to sustain healthy people on a healthy planet. We hope through this partnership that we collaboratively contribute to leadership for the transition to ecologically sustainable, climate-smart healthcare and greater health equity at the local, national and global levels.”

"This partnership represents the starting point for more efficient and impactful actions that would ensure that having more sustainable and climate resilient health systems is no longer a dream, but rather a reality that we aim to achieve together. We need to ensure that our health systems are not adding more to the climate crisis, but rather act as a powerful tool in the fight against it and we can already envision how this partnership will help us reach this goal”, said Mohamed Eissa, IFMSA Liaison Officer for Public Health Issues.

Through this partnership agreement, Health Care Without Harm and IFMSA will work together at the global and regional levels on joint projects to improve environmental health, build capacity among health professionals, share best practices and expertise, and support the growing climate advocacy of health care.

About the organizations:

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) has been the leading health sector NGO working internationally on climate since 2009, serving as a backbone organization helping to build a global movement. HCWH works with doctors, nurses, and public health professionals to advocate for healthy people on a healthy planet. HCWH’s work focuses to support fossil fuel impacted communities’ right to a healthy environment; to call on health institutions to implement climate-smart solutions and for staff to be spokespeople for clean air and a sustainable environment in their cities, states, and nations; and to insist on a just transition to an economy based on clean and renewable energy. Over the past decade, HCWH has built a vibrant network of hospitals and health systems. By the end of 2020, our Global Green and Healthy Hospitals network (GGHH) had more than 1500 institutional members in 75 countries representing the interest of more than 60,000 hospitals and health centers. HCWH also leads or co-leads five health professional networks around the world, dedicated to climate and air pollution education and advocacy, while also participating in several leading health sector bodies addressing the climate crisis.

More details at: healthcareclimateaction.org

The International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) is a non-partisan and non-profit organisation recognized as one of the oldest and largest student-run organisations in the world. The IFMSA was established in 1951 after the end of World War II to serve as a platform for unity, collaboration and peace among medical students. The IFMSA currently has a broad representation of 140 member organisations from 130 countries across the world and works in close relation with several non-governmental organisations globally. The IFMSA holds biannual meetings - General Assemblies - one in March and one in August. The IFMSA focuses its work in six areas which are Medical Education, Public Health, Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights including HIV and AIDS, Human Rights and Peace, Professional Exchange and Research Exchange. Through these Standing Committees, the IFMSA builds capacity and conducts advocacy on local, national and international levels. The IFMSA has a special consultative status within theUnited Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and has been recognized on several occasions as the voice of medical students by the World Health Organization (WHO). Most notably, the IFMSA is invited to participate in the World Health Assembly, organized by the WHO, to represent the views of future physicians when it comes to international health concerns.

More details at: ifmsa.org