Case Study Health sector COSTA RICA

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Case Study Health sectorCOSTA RICA

• National Meteorological Institute
• Ministry of Environment and Energy
• Magda Campos Barrantes
• Paraguay - August, 2006

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National Communications

• First National Communication
• Forestry sector
• Agriculture sector
• Water resources
• Coastal Zones
• Second National Communication
• Health sector

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Climate
Costa Rica
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Climate
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Case study

• Dengue broke the altitudinal barrier in 1995.
• In agreement with specialists, Aedes
  aegipty, only developed in hot zones (hot
  climates). Nevertheless in Costa Rica it has
  evolved and extended its borders.
• Reappearance of cholera in 1998.
• Increase in cases of asthma in children, 32 of
  the population suffers from it and it is
  spreading.
• Skin cancer has increased in Costa Rica. In the
  dermatology consultation of Hospital Calderón
  Guardia, two cases of skin cancer are treated per
  day.
• Locust plague in 1998 and 2002
• Increase in plagues in the Agricultural sector
• In the years of El Niño (1997 and 2004), spots
  have been detected in the Red Tide on the Pacific
  side of Costa Rica. The reported toxicity in
  bivalves can cause serious health affectations to
  those who ingest them.
• Increase in rat population (1999-2000)

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Case Study
One of the diseases of the most epidemiological
importance that is associated with rats is the
Hantavirus. An increase of rodents puts the
health of many communities at risk, mainly rural
areas. The population fluctuations of the cane
rat (Sigmodon hispidus) in Guanacaste, Costa
Rica, is directly associated with climate
variability. The phases of ENOS can be
important for the prediction of rat plagues and
therefore a valuable component of early warning
systems in the health sector.
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Case study
Relation between rat population (percentage
anomaly) and annual precipitation (anomaly in
mm). Cañas, Guanacaste. Costa Rica
with high precipitation - high population of
rats. This occurrence has is more likely to
occur during La Niña events.
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Impacts in the health sector

• Increase in number of illnesses transmitted by
  vector
• Increase in number of dengue cases
• Increase in number of deaths caused by dengue
• Increase in number of asthma cases
• Increase in skin cancer
• Recurrence of respiratory illnesses
• Increased demand for health services
• Decrease in standard of living

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Challenges to face - Information

• Better coordination between institutions
• Standardization of data collection and methods
• Better national coverage
• Close gaps in the lack of specific information in
  the relationship between health and climate

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Technical needs

• Software
• Training in management of scenarios and methods
• Assistance for presentations (communication) to
  government and private officials
• Assistance for recompilation and processing of
  public data and information