In this COP-30 interview, the ALLATRA International Public Movement speaks with Shellyza Sajwani — a pharmacist and expert in climate health, global health, and oncology.
Shellyza works at the intersection of pharmacy, sustainable development, and the climate agenda, promoting an evidence-based approach to reducing emissions in healthcare and increasing its resilience to climate risks.
She discusses her mission at COP-30, where she represents the Canadian Association of Pharmacy for the Environment (CAPhE), strengthens interdisciplinary partnerships, and contributes to integrating healthcare into global climate policy. She places special emphasis on the importance of recognizing that the climate crisis directly impacts human health — from cardiovascular diseases to mental health and access to essential medications.
Shellyza explains that pharmacists and pharmacies are among the most accessible healthcare providers in the world, and therefore can play a key role in raising public awareness. She provides examples of CAPhE’s work and Canadian professional pharmacy associations that help train professionals on how to communicate with the public about emission reduction, climate adaptation, emergency preparedness, reducing drug waste, and rational medication use.
Regarding her personal motivation, Shellyza shares that she came to climate health through many years of experience in global health and her own life journey. As a cancer survivor, she experienced a moment during her treatment in Ottawa when the city was hit by several tornadoes. This made her consider, for the first time, how climate events can affect access to treatment and patient health in general. This experience became a turning point and strengthened her sense of professional responsibility.
Shellyza’s biography includes numerous significant achievements. She earned an MPharm from Aston University (UK), a PharmD from the University of Toronto, a Climate Change and Health certification from Yale University, and a Global Health Delivery certification from Harvard University. In 2023, she co-chaired the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) policy committee, which developed and approved the world’s first international pharmacy climate policy. This policy was sent to over 100 countries, representing four million pharmacy professionals.
Today, she is the co-founder and President of Climaceutics Health Solutions, working on climate risk assessment and emission reduction in the pharmacy sector. She has previously held leadership positions in Pharmacists Without Borders Canada and PSF International, participated in global health programs, and worked for many years as an oncology pharmacist at the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Center.
For her contributions to advancing pharmacy practice, Shellyza received the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Olivier Bugnon Award (2023) — a prestigious award given to one mid-career pharmacy professional worldwide every three years.
The interview demonstrates Shellyza’s deeply humanistic approach: understanding that caring for human health is impossible without addressing the climate crisis. She emphasizes the importance of global collaboration, the integration of scientific disciplines, and the active role of every individual, as both a professional and a global citizen, in creating a future where health and well-being remain central values.
ALLATRA International Public Movement: https://allatra.org/
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