Strengthening Arctic Health Preparedness Through Community Collaboration

The Arctic is undergoing rapid climate, demographic, geopolitical and economic changes, placing unprecedented strain on health systems and emergency preparedness. To address this challenge, the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group of the Arctic Council (EPPR) took on a project “Strengthening Health Preparedness in the Arctic,” led jointly by the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Nord) and the Norwegian Red Cross, representing the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – an Observer to the Arctic Council.

The project examined risks associated with human life and health in Arctic emergencies. It aimed to identify existing and future modes of collaboration between resources from civil society and health authorities. As a result of the project, a new report titled, “Strengthening Arctic Health Preparedness: The Way Forward,” was published exploring how civil society and local volunteers can play an essential role in health preparedness across the Arctic.

“This project is important for EPPR because as we evaluate risks factors in the Arctic, we saw a clear need for stronger coordination between health authorities and civil society in remote Arctic communities,” said Ole Kristian Bjerkemo, EPPR Head of Delegation for Norway, and Chair of EPPR during the project implementation. “Many Arctic communities face limited health and emergency services, dispersed population and vast distances between infrastructure. Civil society and volunteer organizations therefore play a critical role in health preparedness and response.”

“Health preparedness in the Arctic means facing serious risks in a demanding environment. No single actor can handle this alone,” said Siri Hatlen, President of the Norwegian Red Cross. “Authorities, health services and volunteer organizations must plan, train and respond together. If we stand side by side, we can build safer communities for the people who call the Arctic home."

The project report outlines three overarching priorities for strengthening Arctic health preparedness: Better understand the changing Arctic and health preparedness needs; Strengthen community resilience and local preparedness capacity; and Enhance civil society’s role in heath preparedness through collaboration. The report includes six specific recommendations for the Arctic Council, national authorities and civil society partners.

When asked if any of the project’s findings were surprising, Anine Kongelf, Lead Analyst at the Norwegian Red Cross, said, “While we knew going into the project that climate change is already severely affecting the Arctic, it was unsettling to hear first-hand from people living in the Arctic how rapid these changes are happening – and how they are affecting local communities, both directly and indirectly. We went into the project thinking that we would investigate the mobilization of resources for large-scale emergencies – like a cruise-ship accident happening in remote, Arctic waters – but we quickly realized that health preparedness is also needed for dealing with the consequences of hazardous smoke from wildfires, potential oil spills, emerging pathogens and contaminants, and the direct and indirect consequences of climate changes that are affecting and changing traditional livelihoods and communities in the Arctic.”

Carl Fredrik Donjem, project lead and Senior Advisor at Helse Nord, highlighted the fact that civil society organizations and volunteers are often the first responders in isolated areas where professional health resources are scarce. When asked what findings from the project stood out to him, he shared, “There is a strong willingness of local communities to engage in preparedness activities when they are given structured opportunities. It is also important to recognize that health preparedness is not only medical. It involves logistics, communication, psychosocial support, as well as social and cultural considerations.”

One element of the Health Preparedness Project was a Photovoice study, where Red Cross volunteers captured their lived experiences of health preparedness in the Arctic and conducted a thematic analysis of their photographs. The study highlighted how preparedness is not only about physical and practical preparation, but also about building and maintaining relationships, identity and the pride associated with being a resource for the local community.