UN Warns El Nino Poses Major Global Health Threat

The United Nations has raised concerns about the potential health impacts of the current El Nino climate event, warning on Tuesday that it poses a "significant" threat worldwide. This cycle of El Nino, which is tied to warming surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, is predicted to be the most intense on record.

The weather pattern is associated with higher global temperatures and can lead to both extreme drought and widespread flooding. Its effects are currently being observed in regions from Central America to Indonesia.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) cautioned that heavy rains linked with El Nino may increase the risk of disease outbreaks, such as cholera, and foster conditions for the spread of diseases carried by mosquitoes, including malaria, chikungunya, and dengue fever.

Teresa Zakaria, Unit Head for Risk Reduction, Humanitarian Operations, and Climate Change at WHO, stated that the most severe consequences would be felt where climate shocks intersect with limited access to healthcare, weak health systems, and ongoing crises. She described El Nino as a "significant public health threat" and a "risk multiplier," urging immediate action from countries to prevent loss of life and suffering.

"We have a window of opportunity to act now, before these risks become a crisis," Zakaria said during a press briefing in Geneva.

Earlier in September, the UN's World Meteorological Organisation predicted that this El Nino could be the strongest since comparable records started four decades ago, with consequences possibly lasting into 2027.

Armel Castellan, an adviser on extreme heat at the WHO-WMO Climate and Health Joint Programme, noted that the current El Nino stands out due to already record-breaking global temperatures, making this occurrence unique.