Federal Dental Association
Berlin/Cologne (ots)
The conference on aid organizations of the German Dental Association (BZÄK) taking place today as part of the International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne is themed “Climate crisis, climate protection and health with a focus on sustainability/planetary health“. After all, climate change and the associated consequences are often a challenge for aid organizations as well. Not only do they have to adapt their operations to the changing climatic conditions, they also have to weigh up the extent to which sustainable action is possible. The term sustainability is used in a broader sense: it is not just about minimizing environmental impacts, but also about sustainably improving the living conditions of local people.
“The massive changes resulting from climate change, which often also result in natural disasters, have far-reaching consequences for the countries of the Global South. Our conference deals with the challenges that arise from this. One aspect in this topic area is also the question of the sustainability of aid operations and whether and how this can be achieved. We want to look at sustainability in local health care as a whole,” says Dr. Karsten Heegewaldt, BZÄK board officer for social tasks/aid organizations.
BZÄK President Prof. Dr. Christoph Benz added: “Many dedicated dentists and their employees invest a lot of time and money in addition to family and professional life to help disadvantaged people all over the world. They have the desire to get involved in our community, to help people, who cannot help themselves to make global coexistence better and more livable and to overcome the global wealth and privilege gap. Anyone who volunteers makes a difference! I am grateful for the commitment of each individual.”
Niels Annen, MdB (SPD), Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, sent a video message for the conference. Another word of welcome came from Mark Stephen Pace, Chairman of the Association of the German Dental Industry (VDDI). dr Sabine Baunach, University of Bayreuth, gave a lecture on “Health in the (climate) crisis”.
The conference enables the participants to exchange ideas about difficulties and to find solutions for their projects together. This works primarily through personal networking.
For the complete conference program:
Background:
The social and community commitment of the German dental profession is extensive, aid organizations and projects provide help at home and abroad, eg for the homeless and refugees, but also in acute disasters or in crisis regions.
Information on the approximately 70 dental aid organizations in the BZÄK network:
Press contact:
Dipl.-Des. Jette Krämer-Götte, Phone: +49 30 40005-150, E-Mail:
[email protected]
Original content from: Bundeszahnärztekammer, transmitted by news aktuell