Lok Sabha Question No. 200 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-02
Subject: Impact of Climate Change on Health
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Maddila  Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 200 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2024

## IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HEALTH

## 200. SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of increasing health issues caused by climate change as reports claim that more than half of India's population, living in 344 districts, face high/very high health vulnerability as they face prolonged summers, heavy and unpredictable rains/floods and droughts, causing greater risk of ailments in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether as per studies that people exposed to higher green cover have more resilient health systems and are able to adapt to the changes and mitigate the consequences better than most people in the country; and
- (d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure better health outcomes for people facing/likely to face extreme climate events in the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (PROF. SATYA PAL SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (c) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare works on strengthening health sector response to impacts of climate change through Mission on Health established under Prime Minister's Climate Council.

National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) was launched in 2019 with the goal to reduce morbidity, mortality, injuries and health vulnerability to climate variability and extreme weather events especially among vulnerable groups like children, women, and marginalized communities.

The key objectives, identified to achieve this goal are to increase general awareness, capacity building of health care professionals and health care workers, strengthening health sector preparedness, collaborative partnership, and steering research on climate-sensitive health issues. The heath programme is implemented through organizational framework of nodal officers at State and district levels. Activities further converge at sub-district level for health facility and community level implementation.

The programme focuses on health sector response to climate sensitive diseases and health issues like air pollution, heat-related illnesses, other extreme weather events, and green and climate-resilient health care facilities.

(d) National Action Plan on Heat-Related Illnesses (HRI) (2021) provides guidance on clinical management of heat-related illnesses, health facility preparedness measures, and HRI surveillance reporting and analysis.

To ensure adequate preparedness on cooling guidelines Strengthening Health Systems Preparedness for Heat Related Illnesses (HRI) in India have been issued in 2023.

MoHFW exchanges relevant surveillance information with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the review of preparedness and further necessary action.

Government of India has taken several steps to address extreme weather events which include:

## A. General awareness on extreme weather events

Information, education, and communication (IEC) on the health impact of heatwaves and the prevention of heat-related illnesses (HRI), floods, cyclone are disseminated to state and district health departments for community-level messaging throughout summer. IEC activities through posters, audio, visual and social media is an integral part of state and city level heat-health action plans.

-  Apublic health advisory on extreme heat, floods and cold-wave are disseminated
-  Advisory to state health departments on health sector preparedness for heatwave are issued with IMD's seasonal summer outlook annually.
-  International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is observed annually (October 13) through national -wide awareness campaigns, mock drills and trainings in preparedness and response.

B. Capacity building sessions to increase awareness among health care professionals are carried out through state and district nodal officers-NPCCHH. That is further rolled out to medical officers, community health workers, Panchayati Raj Institutions and to community.

-  Trainings of State and District nodal officers, and trainers are conducted under the programme on various climate sensitive diseases including extreme heat and other extreme weather events
-  Training manuals for Nodal Officer, Medical Officers, Community Health Workers and Community are disseminated on extreme heat and health.

## C. Strengthening of Health Sector Preparedness

-  IMD's daily weather bulletins, heatwave, cyclone warnings and Central Water Commission's flood situation and advisory are disseminated to state and district health departments as early warnings and to ensure health facility preparedness.
-  34 out of 36 State/UT have drafted their State Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health.
-  State and District health departments are supported in assessing and implementing functional and structural measures like heatstroke rooms, energy audit, energy conservation, solarization, coolroofs, rainwater harvesting, and water conservation at the health facility level to develop resiliency to heat wave-associated impacts and ensure continued health service delivery during extreme weather events.

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