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The paper looks at the phenomenon of global warming and its potential health effects and outlines a number of plausible response by the health sector in developing countries to its threat. It suggests that the health sector should facilitate an international effort at addressing this challenge, mainly through advocacy, epidemiological surveillance and awareness creation.

Caretakers of pre-school children were interviewed in Afigya Sekyere district, Ghana. Over 46% (n = 400) will buy drugs and 33% will use various herbs for mild ARI at home. Food is withheld during ARI episodes and few will attempt to treat perceived severe ARI at home. No association was found between knowledge of signs or causation of ARI and intended practice for mild and severe ARI. Finance and poor attitude of health workers were major concerns expressed by caretakers in seeking help from the orthodox health system.