Image courtesy AQI
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that climate change is heightening the global risk of infectious diseases. In its Sixth Assessment Report, released in March 2023, the organization has warned that climate change is altering the distribution of vectors and animal reservoirs and changing the infectivity and virulence of pathogens, thus disrupting and transforming disease transmission cycles.
India is particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change, due to its large population, high poverty rates, and limited access to healthcare. In recent years, India has experienced a number of outbreaks of infectious diseases, including dengue, cholera, and Nipah virus (to say nothing of COVID-19).
One of the main ways that climate change is increasing the risk of infectious diseases in India is by altering the distribution of vectors. Mosquitoes, for example, are able to breed and survive in warmer temperatures, and they are now able to expand their range into new areas. This has led to an increase in the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria.
Climate change is also affecting the distribution of animal reservoirs. Bats are known to carry a number of viruses that can be harmful to humans, such as the Nipah and Hendra viruses. As bats expand their range in response to climate change, they are bringing these viruses into new areas, increasing the risk of human exposure. As I write, the Nipah virus is once again wreaking havoc in Kerala, despite the state’s success in stemming a similar outbreak in 2018.
Climate change is also changing the infectivity and virulence of pathogens. For example, studies have shown that the dengue virus is more infectious at higher temperatures. This means that climate change could lead to more severe dengue outbreaks in the future.
In addition to the direct impacts of climate change on infectious diseases, there are also a number of indirect impacts. For example, climate change can lead to food insecurity and malnutrition, which can weaken people’s immune systems and make them more susceptible to infection. Climate change can also lead to displacement and migration, which can disrupt public health services and make it more difficult to control the spread of disease.
India needs to take urgent action to address the health impacts of climate change. This includes investing in surveillance and early warning systems for infectious diseases, strengthening public health infrastructure, and promoting adaptation measures such as climate-resilient agriculture and water management. India also needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change on health.
How can India prepare for the health impacts of climate change?
India can take a number of steps to arm itself against and mitigate the health risks of climate change, including:
- Investing in surveillance and early warning systems for infectious diseases. This will help India to identify and respond to outbreaks quickly and effectively.
- Strengthening public health infrastructure. This includes ensuring that there are enough healthcare workers, hospitals, and clinics to meet the needs of the population, even in the face of a major outbreak.
- Promoting adaptation measures such as climate-resilient agriculture and water management. This will help to reduce the risk of food insecurity and malnutrition and improve access to clean water and sanitation.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This will help to mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change on health.
India also needs to adopt a One Health approach to health security. This means integrating the management of human, animal, and environmental health. This is important because many infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning that they can be transmitted from animals to humans. In March this year, the World Bank signed a $1 billion deal (two loans of $500 million) to support India’s flagship Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) and improve the country’s public healthcare system. The Indian government has also launched a number of initiatives to address the health impacts of climate change, including the National Adaptation Plan on Climate Change (2021) and the National Action Plan on Heat-Related Illnesses (2021).
We can no longer afford to pretend that climate change is not real, nor that every strand in the web of life (as Chief Seattle famously expressed it) is affected by it. By adopting a One Health approach, India can better prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases. Ensuring better health for every denizen within our borders will ensure better health for every citizen.
