The year 2024 was marked by extreme weather events that claimed hundreds of lives across India and left many picking up the pieces. In March, a young boy walked across a dried-up riverbed in Gujarat during a heatwave, the scorched ground cracking beneath his feet. Three months later, in July, a woman watched in horror as a massive landslide in Kerala during the monsoon ripped through her home, burying her family and her entire life under debris. The signs are clear: extreme climate change-related events are becoming more common.
For nearly five decades, experts have been increasingly highlighting the far-reaching effects of climate change, with public health emerging as one of its most urgent consequences. Rising global temperatures and more frequent severe weather events pose acute health risks, placing the nation on the precipice. The pressure on healthcare systems is mounting, requiring immediate and decisive action. The question is what we can do now, as the clock is ticking.
Taking stock of the situation
Climate change is irrevocably altering the planet. The world is uncomfortably close to breaching its target of maintaining temperatures below 1.5°C. In 2023, the annual mean near-surface temperature was 1.45°C higher than pre-industrial levels. High temperatures are also affecting precipitation rates, increasing the risks of infectious disease outbreaks, flooding, and water contamination.1 According to the Indian Meteorological Department, 2024 was the warmest year on record since 1901.2
Climate change has a significant impact on public health and places additional strain on healthcare systems in the following ways:
- Increase in mortalities and hospitalisations: Rising temperatures correlate with an increase in mortality rates. Furthermore, there is a notable uptick in the utilisation of inpatient and outpatient services amid rising temperatures.3
- Increase in vector-borne illnesses: Warmer climates are increasing the prevalence of vector-borne illnesses, including malaria and dengue. Warmer temperatures and humidity can hasten the development of vectors and pathogens and expand disease transmission areas.4
For example, dengue fever is the fastest-growing vector-borne disease in the world, with India accounting for a third of the disease’s global burden. The number of cases in the country has increased fourfold from 2015 to 2020.5
Strengthening the healthcare system
Over the years, the country has formulated several policies to handle this crisis. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) covered eight crucial areas, including solar energy and water, to mitigate the impact of climate change. The National Health Mission was added in 2018, providing comprehensive guidelines on climate-related illnesses.
The government created the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme in response to the rising prevalence of vector-borne diseases. Furthermore, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme was set up as a decentralised surveillance programme to predict outbreaks and control the spread of diseases. The National One Health Mission recognises the nexus between human health, animal health, and the environment, concentrating on comprehensive pandemic preparedness and integrated disease control.
While the government recognises the impact of climate change on health, some gaps remain. The country must strengthen current policies by placing health at the centre by creating a dedicated Climate-Health Action Plan. Here are some recommendations:
- Create an integrated data system: A robustcentralised data system that comprises primary and secondary data sources can address gaps in data availability. This can ensure the real-time exchange of data across different ministries and programmes, and track progress to create health strategies that are resistant to climate change.
- Conduct risk assessments at sub-district levels: As the geography, microclimatic conditions, and governance mechanisms on a local level differ, detailed sub-district level risk assessments must be conducted to determine preparedness for extreme weather events. These assessments must follow an interdisciplinary approach that considers factors including public health infrastructure, land use patterns, allocation of funds, and frequency of extreme weather events.
- Ensure seamless collaboration: Whilethe central government formulates policies, the onus is on the states to implement them. However, this top-down approach can be challenging given the climate variations. Hence, governments need to collaborate and create policies tailored to the complexities of each state through periodic audits. Furthermore, it is also necessary to enhance inter-ministerial collaboration to take appropriate steps to enhance climate readiness.
- Empower the health sector: Evaluating and strengthening the capacities of government institutions and the workforce helps them effectively assess the impact of climate change. This can be carried out in several ways, such as creating programmes to improve knowledge, changing policies to support their work, fostering innovation, and encouraging interdepartmental collaboration.
India is standing at the crossroads. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and disease outbreaks are no longer future threats but stark realities that impact millions. The country must strengthen its healthcare system to prevent devastating consequences. To address this challenge, the system must become more proactive and dynamic. Strengthening policies, conducting comprehensive assessments, enhancing collaboration, and maintaining a central repository of data are pivotal for creating a Climate-Health Action Plan. This is a golden opportunity for the country to cement its reputation as a global leader and to safeguard its citizens’ health.
- https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2824%2901822-1
- https://internal.imd.gov.in/press_release/20250115_pr_3554.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277265332400039X
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4342958/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-85437-w
