A Call for Public Health Leadership in Building a Post-COVID-19 South Africa

The Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) calls for a 'healthy recovery' from COVID-19 that avoids returning to unsustainable economic patterns. The group argues that air pollution from coal-fired power stations, particularly in the Mpumalanga Highveld, exacerbates respiratory diseases and coronavirus mortality. PHASA advocates for a just energy transition to renewables, the closure of coal mines, and the active involvement of the health sector in the Presidential Climate Change Commission to address the intersecting crises of pandemics and climate change.

• Air pollution resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels contributes to millions of deaths from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and is associated with increased mortality from coronavirus, especially for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
• The Mpumalanga Highveld experiences some of the world's worst air pollution due to a high concentration of coal-fired power stations and the failure to effectively enforce air quality management plans and standards.
• PHASA supports a global resolution from the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) calling for an immediate halt to the opening of new coal mines, the accelerated closure of existing ones, and a transition to clean renewable energy that protects affected communities and workers.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2020). A Call for Public Health Leadership in Building a Post-COVID-19 South Africa. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PHASA-CEH-letter-Minister-of-Health_July-18-2020.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. A Call for Public Health Leadership in Building a Post-COVID-19 South Africa. 2020. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PHASA-CEH-letter-Minister-of-Health_July-18-2020.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=A Call for Public Health Leadership in Building a Post-COVID-19 South Africa |date=18 July 2020 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PHASA-CEH-letter-Minister-of-Health_July-18-2020.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2020call, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{A Call for Public Health Leadership in Building a Post-COVID-19 South Africa}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PHASA-CEH-letter-Minister-of-Health_July-18-2020.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }