CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR IN NICARAGUA

This report, commissioned by the UNDP and implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), assesses climate risks and risk management capacity within Nicaragua's health sector. It identifies a strong link between climate variability—specifically heavy rainfall, floods, and droughts—and the prevalence of water-borne and vector-borne diseases, exacerbated by systemic vulnerabilities in water and sanitation infrastructure.

• Nicaragua's health sector is characterized by low expenditures, resulting in shortages of infrastructure and staff. The country has approximately 0.9 hospital beds, 1.07 nurses or midwives, and 0.37 physicians per 1,000 people, which is about one-third of the global average.
• Observed climate trends in Nicaragua since 1960 show an average temperature increase of approximately 0.9°C. While mean annual rainfall has decreased by 5 to 6 percent per decade, there has been an increase in heavy precipitation events.
• Climate projections for the end of the 21st century suggest continued warming of 3°C to 4°C. Rainfall trends are less certain but generally negative, and while the frequency of extreme events is hard to project, their intensity and frequency are expected to increase.
• Statistical analysis indicates that floods and standing water from heavy rainfall significantly influence the epidemiology of diarrhœal disease, dengue, and leptospirosis. For example, about 80 percent more cases of diarrhœa occur in June and July, coinciding with the first annual rainfall peak.
• Human health vulnerability to climate risks in Nicaragua is primarily driven by limited access to clean water and sanitation. In rural areas, only about one-third of the population has access to improved sanitation, and two-thirds have access to clean water.
• Climate-related health risks threaten the achievement of national and international development goals, including the reduction of maternal and infant mortality, the expansion of water and sanitation access, and the reduction of malnutrition.
• Nicaragua possesses institutional structures for disaster risk management (SINAPRED) and climate change (MARENA), but lacks established inter-institutional coordination mechanisms specifically with the health sector (MINSA).
• While climate risks are recognized in the 'National Human Development Plan,' they are not explicitly addressed in the 'National Health Policy,' which only alludes to the immediate effects of extreme events.
• The report recommends several priority actions to reduce health risks: increasing access to clean water and sanitation, implementing flood controls and reforestation, expanding health services, and establishing a real-time monitoring and surveillance system for climate and health data.
• The report suggests the creation of a comprehensive climate risk management programme to integrate disaster risk management and climate change adaptation into sectoral planning, specifically through permanent sectoral committees.

APA

Keller, M. (2013). CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR IN NICARAGUA. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/crm_nicaragua.pdf

Chicago

Keller, Marius. CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR IN NICARAGUA. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2013. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/crm_nicaragua.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Keller |first1=Marius |title=CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR IN NICARAGUA |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=January 2013 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/crm_nicaragua.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{keller2013climate, author = {Keller, Marius}, title = {{CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR IN NICARAGUA}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2013}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/crm_nicaragua.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }