"Climate change does not only have an impact on changes in air temperature and rainfall but also causes the transmission of infectious diseases and human pathogens, human vectors, and human hosts," Head of the Health Research Organization of BRIN Ni Luh P Indi Dharmayanti noted in a statement at BRIN's official website on Friday.
Hence, Dharmayanti emphasized the need to develop an early warning system for diseases as a monitoring system that can keep track of the risks and impacts of climate change on vector-borne diseases.
In addition, it is necessary to increase the capacity for disease diagnosis and surveillance and ramp up research to focus on the impact of climate change on health, Dharmayanti stated.
A researcher from the Veterinary Research Center Indrawati Sendow remarked that climate change with vector and wildlife dynamics, domestic animals, human populations, and microbial dynamics can be used as an early warning system to handle the risk of outbreaks that may occur in livestock or humans.
Zoonosis is the transmission of animal diseases to humans influenced by environmental and socioeconomic processes that form reservoir host communities, which cause people and livestock to come in contact with wildlife.
Sendow noted that over 70 percent of zoonotic diseases, including COVID-19, Sars, Mers, Swine Flu, Ebola, Zika, anthrax, and avian flu, come from wild animals, such as bats, cats, pangolins, pigs, rats, primates, and wild birds. According to the researcher, BRIN could take on a role and collaborate with all stakeholders to conduct research to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging or re-emerging zoonotic diseases through a One Health approach.
Related news: US, Indonesia partner to promote sustainable business practices
Related news: Minister asks farmers to adapt to climate change
Translator: Martha Herlinawati S, Resinta
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
