The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) began November 10, in Belém, Pará, Brazil, bringing together heads of state, scientists, and delegations from more than 190 countries to discuss the planet's future in the face of the climate crisis. Hosting the world’s leading environmental forum for the first time, the city has deployed extensive security, logistics, and health infrastructure.

As part of that effort, the Pará State Health Department (SESPA) accredited the Belem Adventist Hospital, part of the Adventist Health Network, to serve conference attendees, citing international certification, clinical capacity, and sustainability practices.

The president of Adventist Health, Gilnei Abreu, emphasized that the accreditation reinforces the Network's historical commitment to its mission of service.

"Being present at an event that discusses the sustainability of the planet is, for us, an extension of our purpose of caring for life in all its dimensions," Abreu said.

Accreditation and Differentiators

According to Amira El Banna, commercial manager of the Belém and Barcarena units, the SESPA evaluation process prioritized private hospitals with international accreditation.

“SESPA [State Health Secretariat of Pará] opted for private hospitals in the city that had international certification. Today we have three large hospitals in the city with international certification. After this verification, the Belem Adventist Hospital and the Porto Dias Hospital were chosen to participate,” he stated.

El Banna said SESPA also reviewed the hospital’s sustainability plan, which was forwarded to Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty). Measures include selective waste collection, proper disposal of medical supplies, solar power, rainwater harvesting, an on-site vegetable garden, and cleaner construction practices to reduce waste.

“The hospital’s sustainability practices are outlined in the presentation made to SESPA, which was also sent to Itamaraty. These include selective waste collection, proper disposal of hospital supplies, use of solar energy, rainwater harvesting, a vegetable garden, and cleaner construction sites with less waste accumulation,” explained Amira.

Clinical Preparations

To accommodate dignitaries and delegations, the hospital reconfigured patient flows, isolating portions of the inpatient unit and revising emergency department procedures.

“Areas of the inpatient unit were isolated, and the flow in the emergency room was readjusted to accommodate authorities. This involved teams, infrastructure, and a review of processes within the unit itself,” said Edgar Sobrinho, the hospital's medical manager.

The hospital also trained bilingual teams, both medical and administrative, and increased the number of emergency professionals, especially during night shifts and weekends.

“The teams involved were from the ICUs, inpatient units, and emergency room. We included professionals who speak a second language to assist in the care of patients from the delegations,” Sobrinho added.

Currently, the hospital is prepared to treat up to 30 patients simultaneously, including four in critical condition, with contingency plans for expansion if necessary.

Institutional Mission and Legacy

For Ilvo Coutinho, general director of the Belém and Barcarena units, accreditation goes beyond technical recognition.

“This accreditation represents the commitment that we, as an Adventist institution linked to Adventist Health, have to society. At a time when Brazil is hosting such an important event as COP30, and being in the Amazon, having an accredited Adventist hospital is a privilege and a great responsibility,” he stated.

The hospital will serve government leaders, technical teams, media, and other participants. A dedicated access flow has been created for high-level visitors, including corporate executives; the facility has also hosted visits from U.S., French, and Japanese embassy representatives and maintains direct coordination with Itamaraty.

Sustainability and faith

In addition to meeting technical requirements, the Belem Adventist Hospital sought to reinforce the convergence between health and sustainability, one of the central themes of COP30. The unit presented environmental measures that include the reuse of natural resources and the management of hospital waste, in line with Christian principles of care for creation.

“COP30 will bring together the world's leading figures to discuss climate change, and our presence in this context reaffirms that caring for the health of people and the planet is part of the same mission,” concluded Coutinho.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese news site.