During an immersive week-long summer program in Lima, Peru, University of Arizona undergraduate students learned about the health risks of climate change and how healthcare providers and programs can respond to those risks and improve population health.
A diverse group of University of Arizona undergraduate and graduate students recently completed an immersive week-long summer program called the Global Health and Climate Change Field Experience in Lima, Peru. The program provides students with a conceptual and practical understanding of the intersections between healthcare systems, global health, and climate change. Organized by the college’s Global Health Institute (GHI) in collaboration with Partners in Health (Socios en Salud) in Peru, the program offers students a unique opportunity to engage directly with local communities and healthcare providers confronting the realities of a changing climate.
Led by Dr. Gabriela Valdez, Director of Global Education at GHI, the program attracted students from a range of academic disciplines, including public health, medicine, biochemistry, veterinary science, and healthcare management. During their time in Lima, the students explored the city’s healthcare landscape through visits to multiple clinics and community health centers where Partners in Health collaborates closely with local teams. These visits provided a firsthand view of how climate change amplifies existing healthcare challenges.
Before arriving in Lima, students participated in an intensive week of lectures delivered by faculty experts from the Zuckerman College of Public Health. Topics included climate change, rural health in the Peruvian Amazon, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), and environmental health.
Armed with this knowledge in Peru, the students worked in teams to analyze previously collected data using the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for Climate-Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare Facilities, and the Checklists to Assess Vulnerabilities in Healthcare Facilities in the Context of Climate Change. This work was complemented by in-depth observations and discussions with clinic staff during site visits, allowing the students to understand the local context and specific climate-related vulnerabilities faced by the clinics.
The program culminated in a collaborative project where students, in partnership with clinic staff, analyzed data to identify key climate-related vulnerabilities and proposed strategies to enhance resilience in the face of climate change. The collaborative nature of the project underscored the importance of cross-disciplinary approaches and the integration of local and academic knowledge to develop effective solutions.
"This experience not only gave students a deeper understanding of global health challenges, but also empowered them to think critically and collaboratively about innovative solutions,” said Dr. Valdez, “By engaging directly with communities and healthcare providers, our students gained a profound appreciation for the complexities at the intersection of health and climate change. They are now better equipped to contribute meaningfully to global health equity."
As the program concluded, students departed with a heightened awareness of the critical challenges climate change poses to global health. They had also gained a renewed commitment to drive change through innovative, evidence-based approaches. The Global Health Institute extends its gratitude to the university’s Arizona Institute for Resilience for supporting the participation of students in this transformative program.
