About KAMG (Koepel Artsen Maatschappij + Gezondheid) – Planetary Health
Interdisciplinary approach to connect human health with planetary health. Themes like climate change, loss of biodiversity, environmental pollution, deforestation, erosion and other human-made issues that cause health risks.
Risks like:
- Heat stress
- Infectious diseases
- Chronic diseases
- Mental health issues
15 doctors specialized in public health are actively participating within this task force / expert group, some of whom are still in training in the following domains:
- Environmental medicine
- Infectious disease control
- Health policy & advise
- Youth health care
- Occupational medicine
Planetary Health Group works towards 5 main objectives:
- Increase awareness & knowledge about healthcare & climate, resulting effects on health.
- Share knowledge & advice on impact climate change on both planetary and human health.
- Actively contribute to public debate on relationship between human activity, climate change, pollution and a healthy living environment.
- Promote planetary health and sustainability by training physicians
- Actively influence development of sustainability policies within field of public health.
Approach:
- Knowledge exchange within expert group
- Participation study meetings
- Networking and influencing organizations such as KAMG, KNMG, GGD Nederland, NHG
- Promoting Planetary Health in medical training
- Compiling feasible local-level-measures and approach
- Workshops, information and education materials.
Collaboration with GHH-partners
- Groene Zorg Alliantie (GZA): KAMG hosts/platforms GZA-activities like Groene Zorg Festival.
- KCGH & NVTG: co-organization symposium ‘Zorg voor Nieuwkomers’.
Overview characteristics
Active in countries:
Purely Dutch activities
Community of Practice (CoP)
CoP3: Climate change & Health
Themes and subthemes within CoP
- Environmental medicine: KAMG’s expertise can feed into COP3’s work on climate-health pathways, risk assessments, adaption strategies in healthcare, policy recommendations etc.
- Infectious disease control: Climate change influences vector-borne diseases and distribution of pathogens. KAMG can help model or project changes in disease patterns.
- Health policy & advise: CoP3 aims not just to generate knowledge but to influence policy, advice governments and shape health systems. KAMG can co develop policy briefs, translate research and contribute to governance (and government) frameworks for climate resilient health systems.
- Youth health care: important for adaptation and long-term perspective.
- Occupational medicine: part of health system resilience because people will be more resilient.
Organization type:
Knowledge institute/research centre
Available resources
Knowledge & expertise:
- Planetary Health & environmental health integration
- Public health, prevention, surveillance, risk signaling
- Education, training
Networks, alliances & partnerships:
- with KNMG, GGD Nederland, NHG: influencing policy, share expertise.
- Part of Green Deal Duurzame Zorg: a collaborative network to align sustainable care initiatives.
Influence, policy input:
- Voortgangsrapportage Green Deal Duurzame Zorg 3.0
- Manifestos & public statements like ‘zet Volksgezondheid op nummer 1’-campaign
- Expert meetings, congresses, event sessions to promote themes.
Organizational/institutional capacity:
- KAMG is coordinating umbrella for Public Health domain in NL
- KAMG develops internal infrastructure for knowledge sharing