Strengthening maternal and child health across the Asia-Pacific in a changing climate

Climate change is transforming the health landscape, with pregnant women, new mothers, children, and adolescent girls in vulnerable regions among the most affected. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, food insecurity, and disruptions to health services are deepening existing inequities in maternal and child health.

While awareness of these risks is growing, research linking climate science and health systems, especially in the Asia-Pacific, remains limited. To bridge this gap, the Maternal and Child Health Climate Adaptation and Resilience (MCH CARE) Network was established to foster collaboration grounded in local knowledge, gender equity, and cultural context.

The launch of the MCH CARE Network on 5 November marked a major step forward in building climate-resilient maternal and child health systems across the region. Guest speaker Dr Maria (Mianne) Asuncion SIlvestre, from Philippines and a WHO Laureate highlighted the threats of climate to maternal and child health whilst emphasising urgent need for inclusive approaches that respond to local realities. The mini-symposium also saw researchers share their learnings from communities across Bangladesh, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia, members of MCH-CARE, and how these learnings may lead to community-led solutions.

A/Prof Zerina Lokmic-Tomkins, the ideator behind MCH CARE, emphasized: “At the heart of MCH CARE is a commitment to equity, ensuring that the voices of women and adolescent girls shape the future of climate-responsive care.”

MCH CARE’s vision is to reduce the vulnerability of mothers, children, and adolescent girls by supporting culturally grounded, evidence-based, and community-led initiatives throughout the Indo-Pacific. The Network connects researchers, communities, and policymakers to co-design interventions that influence both regional practice and global health policy, while amplifying the voices of Asia-Pacific researchers in shaping climate-resilient care.

To learn more, please visit mchcarenetwork.com