Fiji, Sept. 30 -- Climate change must be treated as a health emergency, with Pacific countries calling for climate and health financing to be brought together and health facilities made more resilient to climate impacts.

World Health Organisation Western Pacific Regional Director Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala said climate change could no longer be treated separately from health, particularly in Pacific Island countries.

"Climate change has long been a health emergency. It's past time we treated it that way," Piukala said during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Dr Piukala said discussions with Fiji's Minister for Climate Change Lynda Tabuya, Dr Andrew Jones of the Pacific Community (SPC) and a representative o...