Key findings and recommendations on the health and wellbeing impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle have been published today: Research into health and wellbeing impacts of adverse weather conditions.
‘The results from this rapid research, commissioned by Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora in 2023, will help us to understand the scope and scale of the health and wellbeing impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle,’ says Dr Ian Town Chief Science Advisor at Manatū Hauora.
The team from University of Auckland and Te Weu Charitable Trust, who led the research, have presented an online summary of findings to staff across the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other government agencies.
Key recommendations from the research include:
- bolstering localised community capacity, capability, and connections will enable communities to support themselves and control emergency responses, increasing the likelihood of improved health and wellbeing outcomes after an extreme weather event
- strengthening the connection and presence of health services within local communities is likely to improve health and wellbeing outcomes
- government disaster procurement policy needs to include health and wellbeing as an outcome where the impact of damage to infrastructure such as telecommunications, power, water, transport, internet and human resources has on healthcare services and outcomes is incorporated
‘The Ministry will now use these findings, alongside other evidence, to inform our work programmes in emergency and incident management, the National Health Adaptation Plan for climate change and All-of-Government science advice in related areas.
‘We will continue to work alongside the research team to ensure the depth of knowledge from this research is not lost and the expertise from lived localised experience remains central to ongoing decision-making,’ says Dr Town.
