Towards a net-zero healthcare system in Kenya: Stakeholder perspectives on opportunities, challenges and priorities

The journal of climate change and health Pub Date : 2025-01-27 DOI:10.1016/j.joclim.2025.100417

Iris Martine Blom , Melvine Anyango Otieno , Susannah Mayhew , Neil Spicer , Andy Haines , Sarah Whitmee

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Abstract

Introduction

Kenya's healthcare system committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 as part of the UNFCCC COP26 Health Program. To turn these ambitious commitments into outcomes and share learnings with other nations, a comprehensive assessment of the perspectives of key stakeholders likely to be involved in implementing the transition of the healthcare system is needed.

Methods

This study employs qualitative methods, including 21 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and a Delphi consensus process, to explore stakeholder perspectives on Kenya's journey to a net-zero healthcare system.

Results

Stakeholders identified and validated 14 process components crucial for this transformation, ranging from leadership and financing to behavioral change and monitoring. Critical barriers, such as infrastructure limitations, competing health priorities, financial constraints, and gaps in strategy coordination, were highlighted. Stakeholders ranked three interventions as the highest priority: implementing clean energy solutions in healthcare facilities, developing national sustainable healthcare policies that are informed by existing evidence on climate benefits, and generating localized data to guide actionable policies. Ranking interventions based on feasibility, however, produced different results that favored simpler, more immediately actionable measures like hospital vegetable gardens and the creation of guidelines for health facilities.

Conclusion

While the transition to net-zero poses challenges, stakeholders expressed optimism about the potential of current strong leadership, strategic partnerships, and the growing momentum for action on climate change and health. This research provides actionable insights and recommendations to guide Kenya's transition to a sustainable, resilient healthcare system, while offering valuable lessons for other countries facing similar challenges.

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在肯尼亚实现净零卫生保健系统：利益攸关方对机遇、挑战和优先事项的看法

肯尼亚的医疗保健系统致力于到2030年实现温室气体净零排放，这是《联合国气候变化框架公约》第26次缔约方会议健康规划的一部分。为了将这些雄心勃勃的承诺转化为成果并与其他国家分享经验，需要对可能参与实施医疗保健系统转型的关键利益相关者的观点进行全面评估。方法本研究采用定性方法，包括与关键利益相关者的21次半结构化访谈和德尔菲共识过程，探讨利益相关者对肯尼亚实现净零医疗保健系统的看法。利益相关者确定并验证了对这一转变至关重要的14个过程组成部分，从领导和融资到行为改变和监控。强调了基础设施限制、相互竞争的卫生优先事项、财政限制和战略协调方面的差距等关键障碍。利益攸关方将三项干预措施列为最优先事项：在医疗保健设施中实施清洁能源解决方案，根据有关气候效益的现有证据制定国家可持续医疗保健政策，以及生成本地化数据以指导可行的政策。然而，根据可行性对干预措施进行排名产生了不同的结果，这些结果倾向于采取更简单、更立即可操作的措施，如医院菜园和为卫生设施制定指导方针。虽然向净零排放过渡带来了挑战，但利益攸关方对目前强有力的领导、战略伙伴关系以及气候变化和卫生行动日益增长的势头的潜力表示乐观。这项研究提供了可行的见解和建议，以指导肯尼亚向可持续的、有弹性的医疗保健系统过渡，同时为面临类似挑战的其他国家提供了宝贵的经验教训。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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