The Ministry of Health yesterday launched its knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey.
“Recognizing that a climate-resilient health system must be driven by its internal and external stakeholders, it is necessary to identify the knowledge, attitude and behavioral gaps that exist,” Minister of Health Dr. Michael Darville said.
“To accomplish this, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is undertaking a climate change and health study involving service providers, civil society and the general public to ascertain the barriers/level of readiness of these populations to participate in the adaption and mitigation measures.”
Darville said the information gained from the survey will inform a communication and education strategy aimed at increasing public awareness about climate change and its causes and effects.
He said this will go toward promoting the adoption of mitigation and adaptation strategies.
The survey will have two phases.
The first phase, which was launched yesterday, will close on October 14.
It is targeted at healthcare providers, environmental officers, health surveillance officers and civil society.
The second phase will launch on October 15 and close on October 28.
This phase is for the general public.
“Everywhere around the world, we want Bahamians to take the survey,” said Dr. Calae Philippe, project coordinator for the ministry’s climate change and health projects.
Philippe said the government partnered with Bahamas Telecommunications Company and Aliv — and was supported by the Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority — for the project.
She said mass text messages will be sent out when the survey is opened to the public.
“During the 15th to 28th, you will be getting a mass text that says, ‘Take The Bahamas’ KAP survey.’ There’s a digital portal that links into an anchor group and they will be able to, at the same time, generate data and this is the benefit,” Philippe said.
“…By the time we’re ready to go to COP[27] on November 6, we should have preliminary data, which is very exciting.”
Darville said the data is necessary for The Bahamas to access climate-related funding.
He said the more research a country has, the better it is to build a case to access funding.
“There is funding that is available,” Darville said.
“As a matter of fact, we are doing all of this right now as a result of grant funding we received in the past.
“We intend to go for more funding, so that we can do more in the country and begin to build our case to tap into resources that will help us to find grant funding and other streams of revenue, to help with reconstruction and building of new healthcare facilities in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”
