World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) along with the backing of the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) will have a joint Climate and Health office so as to promote the synchronized development and use of climate services to improve public health.

This joint move comes in reaction to increasing demands from the health community, including improved access to climate and weather products, hazard warnings and seasonal outlooks needed to be looked into properly as that health risks related to weather and climate are managed well and also to cope up with a shifting burden of disease due to climate change.

This joint office will look into the above demands and will ensure that there is an in-house health expertise at WMO and also a focal point for cooperation with WHO and other health partners. Besides, they will also work in the area of achieving the goals of the Global Framework for Climate Services, which is an ambitious international initiative that seeks to improve and expand climate and weather services such as seasonal forecasts and drought monitors and also support key sectors such as health, food security, water and disaster risk reduction.

The four main areas where support will be provided by this joint office are:

1) Contribution of meteorological services should be reflected in international health policy.

2) Provide coordination, resource mobilization and technical support to Climate Services Adaptation Programmes in Malawi and the United Republic of Tanzania.

3) Strengthen coordination and collaborative initiatives between WHO and WMO.

4) Providing communications and capacity development by building on the successful cooperation between WHO and WMO in the publication of The Atlas of Health and Climate.