Portugal Holds its First National Congress on Health and Environment

Credit: CPSA, António Pedro Ferreira

The First National Congress on Health and Environment, organized by the Portuguese Council for Health and Environment (CPSA), took place on February 7 and 8 in Lisbon and was attended by more than 700 participants from more than 70 professions and dozens of organizations in the health sector.

This congress brought together key experts and stakeholders to discuss the relationship between climate change, environmental degradation and the health of populations, providing a crucial space for reflection, exchange of experiences, networking and motivation.

The opening session was attended by the Minister of Health of Portugal, Ana Paula Martins, and thus marked the beginning of an event that brought together about 130 speakers from various areas of knowledge, including health professionals, researchers, students and representatives of public and private bodies.

The congress also featured interventions by international experts, such as Marina Romanello, from the Lancet Countdown Commission, and Maria Neira, from the World Health Organization, who addressed relevant topics such as the interconnection between health and the environment and international experiences in reducing environmental impact in the area of health.

Among the topics under discussion were the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on health; the reduction of the environmental footprint of the health system and the circular economy; the changes that need to be made to the training of health professionals and the urgency of changing some legislation in the field of health.

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