BRAC University highlights impact of climate-induced migration on healthcare access

The BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health (BRAC JPGSPH) at BRAC University held a workshop on 16 July at BRAC Centre Inn, Dhaka, to present findings from the "Climate Change, Migration and Health Systems Resilience in Some Selected Areas of Haiti and Bangladesh" (ClimHB) project.

Led by the Centre of Excellence for Science of Implementation and Scale-Up (CoE-SISU) at BRAC JPGSPH, the ClimHB project explored how climate-induced migration affects access to healthcare and the capacity of public health systems to respond to environmental shocks. Using empirical data from Haiti and Bangladesh, the study applied the Levesque model of healthcare access alongside the Department for International Development's (DFID) resilience framework. The Levesque model examines the interaction between healthcare systems, individuals, and communities to better understand healthcare accessibility.

In Bangladesh, research focused on sub-districts including Tala in Satkhira. Key findings revealed that during climate disasters such as floods and cyclones, communities often avoid public health facilities due to barriers like cost, distance, and perceived quality of services. Meanwhile, health workers face systemic challenges that impede continuity of care during emergencies.