Climate change reshaping disease patterns, straining health systems, finds report
Extreme weather events in India are increasing in frequency and intensity, bringing both immediate and long-term risks, the report notes
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Context
A report by the philanthropy fund Dasra, titled 'Under the Weather', has found that climate change is a growing public health crisis in India. It highlights how extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods are altering disease patterns, increasing the burden on the healthcare system, and disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. The report calls for integrating health into the core of India's climate policy.
UPSC Perspectives
Environmental & Geographical
The report underscores how climate change acts as a health-risk multiplier, a concept crucial for understanding its cascading impacts. Geographically, this is manifested by the expansion of vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria into previously temperate regions such as Shimla and parts of Jammu & Kashmir. This spatial shift is a direct consequence of warmer temperatures and altered rainfall creating new hospitable environments for disease vectors. Furthermore, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity; floods are leading to outbreaks of water-borne diseases like cholera, while heatwaves cause dehydration and cardiovascular stress. This links directly to the syllabus topic of Disaster Management, where climate-induced disasters are no longer isolated events but part of a recurring cycle requiring a robust, climate-resilient public health infrastructure.
Social & Economic
The article highlights the principle of climate injustice, where the health and economic burdens of climate change fall disproportionately on vulnerable communities. Rural populations, women, children, and informal workers face the greatest risks due to limited capacity to adapt. For instance, studies have estimated significant losses in labour hours due to extreme heat, severely impacting productivity and income, particularly for outdoor workers. For women, climate change exacerbates health vulnerabilities, with research indicating links between extreme heat and increased chances of preterm births, and air pollution with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. The economic perspective reveals a vicious cycle: climate events lead to loss of livelihood, increased healthcare expenditure, and reduced productivity, pushing already marginalized communities further into poverty. This analysis is vital for GS Paper 2 questions on social justice and vulnerable sections of the population.
Polity & Governance
The report acknowledges India's policy response while pointing out significant governance gaps. India's overarching climate policy is guided by the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which originally had eight missions. Recognizing the health impacts, a mission on health was added, leading to the creation of the National Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health (NAPCCHH). This national plan encourages states to formulate their own State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) to address local vulnerabilities. While initiatives like city-level Heat Action Plans (HAPs) are a positive step, the report notes challenges like underfunding, weak legal foundations, a lack of disaggregated local data, and a failure to properly identify and target the most vulnerable groups. To achieve effective governance, a shift from mitigation-focused funding to adaptation is often advocated, alongside strengthening local data systems and building a climate-resilient healthcare system through stronger collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector.