The Health-Climatic Bulletin is a climate-smart tool developed and disseminated by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) to help the health sector to manage climate risk.
The HCB:
• Offers insights on the typical climate conditions of the upcoming season or forecast period;
• Provides an outlook (how wet, how dry, how hot etc.) for the upcoming quarter in the Caribbean, and offers key climate messages for that period; and
• Advises on the health implications arising from this seasonal climate information.
The HCB guides health professionals that manage health systems to identify and prepare for upcoming favourable or inclement climate conditions in the Caribbean in the very near future. It does this by suggesting several implications of forecasted climate in a number of key areas including respiratory illness, non-communicable diseases, vector borne illness, gastrointestinal illness, physical injury or death, and well-being and mental health. Use of this information can help to inform strategic and operational decisions.