Dasra Report on India’s Climate-Health Intersections: Key Findings

Dasra Report on India’s Climate–Health Intersections: Key Findings

Explore the Dasra report on climate–health intersections in India, highlighting impacts of climate change on public health and key recommendations.

Context: A new report titled Under the Weather: India’s Climate-Health Intersections and Pathways to Resilience, published by the philanthropy organisation Dasra, identifies climate change as a critical “health-risk multiplier” in India.

Key Findings of Report on India’s Climate–Health Intersections

Altering Disease Geography

Vector-Borne Diseases: Warmer temperatures are expanding the range of malaria and dengue into previously unaffected high-altitude regions like Shimla, parts of Jammu & Kashmir, and the Himalayan foothills.
Water-Borne & Heat Risks: Floods are triggering outbreaks of cholera and hepatitis, while intense heatwaves are driving up cases of dehydration, heatstroke, and cardiovascular stress.

Impact on Maternal and Child Health

Preterm Births: Extreme heat exposure is linked to a 16% increase in the odds of preterm births, with the risk rising for every 1°C increase in temperature.
Pregnancy Complications: High levels of PM2.5 air pollution are associated with hypertensive disorders such as pre-eclampsia and increased gestational blood pressure.
Child Vulnerability: Infants face higher risks of respiratory illnesses and dehydration due to a limited ability to regulate body temperature.

Economic and Labor Disruptions

India lost an estimated 160 billion labor hours in 2021 alone due to extreme heat exposure.
The burden falls disproportionately on informal and outdoor workers, rural populations, and women, deepening existing socio-economic inequalities.

Systemic Healthcare Challenges

Climate disasters physically damage health infrastructure and sever supply chains for essential medicines and vaccines.

While initiatives like the National Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health (NAPCCHH) and local Heat Action Plans are positive steps, significant hurdles remain.
These include a lack of localized, disaggregated data and a funding gap where investment is skewed toward mitigation rather than health-centric adaptation.