An Unhealthy Relationship: Climate, Disasters, and Disease

Heavy Metal Contamination in Sindh Aquaculture: Climate, Food Safety & Water Quality Threats
From Ponds to Policy: Heavy Metal Contamination in Earthen Pond Aquaculture Systems of Sindh, Pakistan – A Food Safety & Water Quality Threat Under a Changing Climate

Climate change exacerbates water quality degradation in Sindh, Pakistan, where recurrent droughts and floods intensify heavy metal contamination in the Indus River and earthen aquaculture ponds from agricultural and industrial runoff (Rind et al., 2024; Rajar et al., 2024). Our peer-reviewed research in Shaheed Benazirabad and Chashma Barrage demonstrates significant cadmium, chromium, lead, and copper contamination in pond water, sediment, and fish tissues (Oreochromis niloticus, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala, Catla catla), with bioaccumulation patterns showing liver > gills > muscle (Rind et al., 2025; Rind et al., 2024). Seasonal variations show peak contamination in post-monsoon and winter (Naz et al., 2024). Target hazard quotients for cadmium and lead exceeded safe levels, indicating significant human health risks, particularly for children (Rind et al., 2024). Synergistic toxicity of heavy metals and pesticides causes genotoxic damage (Ujan et al., 2026; Iqbal et al., 2025). This evidence directly supports Pakistan's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (2025-2035) objectives for climate resilience and food safety (Government of Pakistan, 2025; FAO, 2025). We recommend strengthened water quality monitoring, regulatory reforms for fish feed, integrated pollution control, and climate-resilient aquaculture infrastructure. At COP31 Türkiye (November 9-20, 2026), this evidence can inform policy decisions on Food Systems, Agriculture & Food Security, Oceans, Seas & Coastal Systems, and Health Systems & Climate (UNFCCC, 2026; E4CA, 2026; WHO, 2026).

Climate Variability and Infectious Disease Risk in Coastal Sindh: Evidence for Climate-Resilient Health Systems
1- Hira Tariq: Department of community health sciences, The Aga Khan University 2-Aamir Alamgir: Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Karachi

Climate-sensitive infectious diseases are increasing in many low-resource settings, yet evidence linking routine health surveillance with meteorological conditions remains limited. This study examined spatial and temporal patterns of malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, and typhoid across the coastal districts of Badin, Sujawal, and Thatta in Sindh, Pakistan, from 2019 to 2022.
An ecological time-series design was used to analyze monthly surveillance data from 166 primary healthcare facilities alongside temperature, humidity, and precipitation data from ground-based meteorological stations. Annual incidence rates were calculated, temporal trends were assessed using the Mann–Kendall test, and associations between climate variables and disease incidence were examined using Pearson correlation analysis. A total of 982,538 infectious disease cases were recorded during the four-year period. Under-five diarrhea and suspected malaria represented the greatest burden. Badin reported an under-five diarrhea incidence of 281.3 cases per 1,000 population annually, while Thatta recorded the highest suspected malaria incidence at 224.4 per 1,000. Suspected malaria increased sharply in 2022, rising by 102% in Badin, 96.8% in Sujawal, and 100.6% in Thatta compared with 2021. Thatta alone reported nearly 30,000 suspected malaria cases in September 2022 following severe monsoon flooding. Malaria peaked approximately four to six weeks after monsoon rainfall, while diarrhea showed seasonal peaks during March and the monsoon months. Disease incidence was positively associated with temperature, humidity, and precipitation, particularly for malaria and under-five diarrhea. Integrating meteorological information with routine disease surveillance shall support anticipatory action, targeted resource allocation, and early-warning systems.

Floods and Waterborne Disease Prevalence in the Senegal River Basin: Health Evidence from the 2024 Bakel Crisis
The 2024 floods in Bakel (eastern Senegal) were the most severe recorded in the Senegal River Basin since 1950. Peak discharge reached 5,200 m³/s, floodwaters covered 8,500 km² across 127 villages, and standing water persisted over two months. This study documents the health consequences through a mixed-methods approach: household surveys (n=500), clinical records from eight health centres, and semi-structured interviews with health and community actors (n=15).

Health facility consultations rose 35% during the flood period (September-December 2024). Diarrhoeal disease incidence among children under five was multiplied by 2.3, and malaria transmission persisted two months beyond its usual seasonal endpoint, lasting until January 2025 due to prolonged larval breeding. Five of eight health centres were directly damaged. Sixty percent of medical equipment was destroyed, and geographic accessibility to care dropped from 85% to 65%. Childhood vaccination coverage fell from 78% to 52%. Acute malnutrition among children aged 6-59 months rose from 8.5% to 18.7%, above the WHO 15% emergency threshold.

These findings show that climate-driven flooding in Sahelian river basins does not act as an isolated health shock. It increases disease incidence, degrades health infrastructure, and depletes household resources simultaneously. The study points to specific policy responses: flood-resilient health facilities, linking river monitoring to epidemiological surveillance for earlier response, and post-flood vaccination catch-up protocols. This evidence is relevant to adaptation planning under the health-climate nexus for West African national adaptation plans and the Global Goal on Adaptation.

Keywords: climate-health nexus, flooding, waterborne diseases, health system resilience, Sahel, Senegal, adaptation
Mamadou Ndong Touré, Laboratoire Leidi, Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis

The Climate-Health Security Nexus: How Climate-Induced Health Crises Are Reshaping EU-MENA Diplomacy
Author: Mohamed Oubey Koraich
Affiliation: Al Akhawayn University of ifrane
Climate change increasingly intersects with human health, economic resilience, and regional stability in the Mediterranean and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions. Rising temperatures, water stress, heatwaves, and vector-borne disease outbreaks are producing transboundary health crises that strain healthcare infrastructure and exacerbate socioeconomic vulnerabilities. This paper investigates how climate-induced health crises are redefining public health from a domestic concern into a pivotal dimension of international security and Euro-Mediterranean diplomacy. By examining the interlinkages between climate exposure, public health vulnerability, migration dynamics, and diplomatic leverage, the study evaluates whether climate-health risks foster deeper bilateral/multilateral cooperation or give rise to new geopolitical dependencies driven by financial and technological asymmetries. Focusing on the Mediterranean as a shared ecological space and highlighting regional adaptation efforts such as Morocco’s National Health Adaptation Plan, the research frames climate-health diplomacy as a critical mechanism for transboundary risk management, joint early-warning systems, and resilient health infrastructure