The monsoon started in most parts of the country later this year. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh reported 96 heat-related deaths in the summer, while forecasts of less rain than usual in some areas only fueled public fear. Shortly after, such monsoon floods occurred in July, prompting the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue yellow, orange and red warnings for Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Flooding footage has become the theme of the sinking every day in recent weeks, with the Delhi government evacuating more than 16,000 people, with more than 14,000 sheltering in tents under an overpass.
The need for climate-smart planning in healthcare :-Recognizing the potential impacts of climate change on public health, India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health was launched in 2018. The plan aims to raise awareness, strengthen the capacity of the Indian healthcare system, build better healthcare through situational awareness, strengthen research capacity to fill evidence gaps, and mainstream health in climate action. It was to build a partnership to make it.
However, climate-friendly planning in healthcare is not yet mainstream. Although there are many organizations working on environmental issues and public health, the interface between climate change and health remains an emerging area of development work. An analysis of heat plans at all levels of government found that most oversimplified heat hazards and failed to address local hazards. Vulnerable population groups are poorly identified and climate projections are lacking. The plans that have been drafted ignore the joint efforts of civil society, the professional sector and the local research ecosystem.
Hospitals in Delhi are reporting a surge in cases of water-borne diseases due to recent floods. Patients at two hospitals also had to be evacuated as the hospital grounds were flooded. The Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report for Public Health Facilities in Idukki District, Kerala (Healthy Energy Initiative, 2023) found that infrastructure issues and lack of disaster preparedness among public health workers ensure consistency of service delivery. turned out to be part of the key problem in The increasing frequency of public health emergencies due to extreme weather events makes it critical that health systems are able to respond in a timely manner. Focusing on the components of the healthcare system, healthcare infrastructure should be designed to minimize disruption to healthcare services in the event of an adverse event and to protect energy and water sources and sanitation from potential risks from extreme climates. It is essential to ensure that the The needs of health workers must be adequately met, and health care providers at all levels must be trained to prepare, recognize and respond to the health impacts of climate change. District-level climate and health data should be collected, consolidated and monitored on a regular basis. This data is also reflected in action plans, enabling climate-sensitive public health decision-making.
At the individual level, certain healthcare applications such as personal health records, health and wellness applications, and telemedicine already exist that use technology and data to deliver quality healthcare services to subscribers. These platforms can be leveraged by integrating subscriber health data with short-term climate data such as air quality and temperature to proactively alert the public through notifications.
Achieving the above will require urgent action in partnership with governments, the philanthropic ecosystem, nonprofits, the healthcare industry and other stakeholders. However, contextual knowledge and consensus building are missing pieces of the development puzzle.
First, we need to integrate sporadic insights from existing efforts to understand what is working and what is not. Organizing current interventions and outcomes can facilitate mutual learning and collaboration and reduce errors. Another area of need is the establishment of common vocabulary and behavioral structures. This is very important as it enables cooperation between influential actors, both governmental and non-governmental.
In addition, identifying priority areas for interventions and investments across different components of the health system can help ensure that immediate threats are addressed and focus on the long-term goal of building a health system that is resilient to climate change. increase.
Finally, mainstreaming climate change health issues through mainstream forums, programs and conferences such as the India Global Forum Summit, the G20 Health Working Group meeting and the India Climate Partnership will help grassroots organizations, large non-profits Organizations, think tanks, philanthropies, etc. and governments need to understand the climate crisis and find solutions to it.
