Health Protection conference highlights Ireland’s response to management of environmental hazards in a changing climate
Published: 8 October 2024
Ireland is implementing a health protection strategy to safeguard against environmental hazards and chemical and radiological incidents, a HSE conference heard today.
Focusing on the theme of “Managing Environmental Hazards in a Changing Climate”, the conference saw HSE colleagues meet Irish and international experts in the fields of Health Protection and Environmental Health.
The event included keynote speakers Professor Mary Horgan, Interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in the Department of Health and Dr Ed Wynne-Evans, Director of Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Directorate (RCE) in the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Presentations covered a range of topics including multidisciplinary preparedness for responding to chemical and environmental hazards, climate change policy and changes to infectious disease epidemiology. The event also served as a learning forum, strengthening global connections and shaping the future of an all-hazards health protection service.
Speaking at the conference, Dr Éamonn O’Moore, HSE Director of National Health Protection explained how the health protection strategy “recognises the need to respond to a broad range of health hazards, not only from infectious diseases but also chemical, environmental, radiation hazards and the growing threats posed by climate change.”
He outlined that HSE Public Health: Health Protection will “continue to integrate environmental health considerations into our health protection efforts, recognising the significant impact of environmental hazards on public health.”
For more information about HSE Public Health: Health Protection, go to: hpsc.ie/healthprotection/ and follow @hpscireland on X for updates.
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