KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian deputy Prime Minister calls for innovative financing mechanisms on the issue of climate change and health here on Thursday.

    According to the International Panel for Climate Change (PICC), climate change is now contributing significantly to the global burden of disease and premature deaths.

    "Substantial finance and investments are needed to meet the urgent challenges of mitigation, adaptation and access to clean energy in developing countries," Malaysian deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak said at the opening ceremony of the Asia Pacific Health Ministers' Conference on Climate Change and Health.

    Multilateral development banks and other development agencies need to support countries in this endeavor, he added.

    "We welcome the establishment of the Climate Investment Funds, including the Clean Technology Fund and the Strategic Climate Fund, presently administered by the World Bank," Najib said.

    "There must also be non-developmental financing mechanisms that could be sourced by developing countries, particularly in building human resource capacity and health-specific adaptation strategies and programs," he said.

    Financial and human resources need to be mobilized from a wide range of stakeholders such as donors and partner developing countries, civil societies and the private sectors, he added.

    Najib also emphasized that effective utilization of these resources require leadership and good governance among all parties involved.

    The conference marks the first of such meetings amongst Ministers of Health to deliberate on the issue of climate change and health in the region.

    117 participants from 18 countries comprising Health Ministers, senior health officials and academics from tertiary institutions attend the conference.

    The organizing committee has organized technical thematic sessions covering three broad areas, namely the climatic scenarios, the human dimension of climate change and the socio-economic dimension, and responses to climate change.

    "We will come out with a Conference Communique, a document that we envisage will embody our desires and aspirations as well as promote national and regional activities, cooperation and collaboration in addressing the issue of climate change and human health and well-being," Malaysian Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said.