{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,16]],"date-time":"2026-10-16T13:21:51Z","timestamp":1792156911837,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,24]],"date-time":"2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742774400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,24]],"date-time":"2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742774400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Infect Dis Poverty"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Climate change presents a profound challenge to global health, disproportionately affecting low-income countries like Sierra Leone. This opinion examines the dual burden of infectious and climate-related diseases and their implications for Sierra Leone\u2019s health systems. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns intensify vector-borne diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever, while flooding exacerbates waterborne diseases in overcrowded urban areas. Concurrently, climate-driven food insecurity worsens malnutrition, particularly among children, and heat stress contributes to the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases. These overlapping health crises strain Sierra Leone\u2019s fragile health system, characterized by inadequate infrastructure, workforce shortages, weak surveillance systems, and limited financial resources. The dual disease burden not only increases morbidity and mortality but also deepens existing health inequities and inequalities. To address these challenges, this opinion underscores the need for climate-resilient health policies and systems. Key recommendations include strengthening healthcare infrastructure, building workforce capacity through targeted training, fostering community-based adaptation strategies, and enhancing international collaboration and financing. Establishing robust research and data systems is also critical to monitor and mitigate climate-related health impacts. By prioritizing response to dual burden of infectious and climate-related diseases within health policy frameworks, Sierra Leone can build a resilient health system that safeguards public health and promotes sustainable development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1186\/s40249-025-01294-9","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,23]],"date-time":"2025-03-23T23:19:36Z","timestamp":1742771976000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Building climate-resilient health systems in Sierra Leone: addressing the dual burden of infectious and climate-related diseases"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Umaru","family":"Sesay","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0226-841X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Augustus","family":"Osborne","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,24]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"1294_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1186\/s12302-024-00931-8","volume":"36","author":"M Shafique","year":"2024","unstructured":"Shafique M, Khurshid M, Muzammil S, Arshad MI, Malik IR, Rasool MH, et al. Traversed dynamics of climate change and One Health. Environ Sci Eur. 2024;36(1):135.","journal-title":"Environ Sci Eur"},{"issue":"18","key":"1294_CR2","first-page":"117863022412987","volume":"20","author":"FP Martins","year":"2024","unstructured":"Martins FP, Paschoalotto MAC, Closs J, Bukowski M, Veras MM. The double burden: climate change challenges for health systems. Environ Health Insights. 2024;20(18):11786302241298788.","journal-title":"Environ Health Insights"},{"issue":"1","key":"1294_CR3","volume":"3","author":"AG Freifeld","year":"2023","unstructured":"Freifeld AG, Todd AI, Khan AS. The climate crisis and healthcare: What do infection prevention and stewardship professionals need to know? 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The ministry of health launches Sierra Leone\u2019s first climate-health unit as the country pledges to go green for health. \u2013 Ministry of health and sanitation. 2024. https:\/\/mohs.gov.sl\/the-ministry-of-health-launches-sierra-leones-first-climate-health-unit-as-the-country-pledges-to-go-green-for-health\/. Accessed 25 Dec 2025."},{"key":"1294_CR7","unstructured":"United Nation, Sierra Leone. Climate action for Sierra Leone: Partnerships Resource Brief. 2022;"},{"key":"1294_CR8","unstructured":"Fund GC. Enhancing the resilience of health systems to climate change and emerging outbreak\/pandemics in Sierra Leone. Green climate fund. Green Climate Fund; 2023. https:\/\/www.greenclimate.fund\/document\/enhancing-resilience-health-systems-climate-change-and-emerging-outbreak-pandemics-sierra. 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