Introduction:

• In its latest report published in March, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issues a dire warning about the escalating global risk of infectious diseases due to climate change.

• The report highlights the evolving relationship between climate and disease, with notable changes in disease patterns, transmission cycles, and vectors.

Changing Disease Patterns:

• Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue no longer follow predictable patterns, manifesting in multiple peaks throughout the year.
• Variations in temperature, precipitation, and humidity disrupt disease transmission cycles and affect vector and animal reservoir distribution.
• Heat-induced alterations in pathogen genomic structure impact infectivity and virulence.

Habitat Loss and Human-Animal Interaction:

• Habitat loss pushes disease-carrying animals into human territories, heightening the risk of zoonotic disease transmission.
• Nipah virus outbreaks in Kerala exemplify how viruses harmless to animals can be fatal to humans.
• The analysis suggests that humans now face a broader spectrum of infectious agents, with over half of known diseases worsening due to changing climate patterns.
• New transmission routes emerge, including environmental sources, medical tourism, and contaminated food and water.

Ecosystem Transformation and Complexity:

• Climate change transforms ecosystems, introducing invasive species and extending the range of existing life forms, creating unpredictability for ecologists and epidemiologists.
• Human-induced climate change contributes to an unprecedented health vulnerability crisis.

Impact on India:

• India has experienced the ominous effects of climate change, such as early summers and erratic monsoons leading to water scarcity in the Gangetic plains and Kerala.
• These shifts have resulted in health crises, including dengue epidemics in Dhaka and Kolkata and the Nipah outbreak in Kerala.

Surveillance and Reporting Challenges:

• India has made strides in reporting outbreaks, transitioning from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) to the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP).
• IHIP was expected to provide real-time tracking of emerging disease outbreaks but has fallen short of expectations.
• The current surveillance system is ill-equipped to handle emerging disease scenarios.

The Need for One Health Approach:

• Addressing climate-induced diseases requires safeguarding ecosystems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and implementing active pathogen surveillance.
• The One Health approach, which integrates monitoring of human, animal, plant, and environmental health, is crucial in preventing outbreaks originating from animals.
• This approach encompasses various health concerns, including zoonotic diseases, neglected tropical diseases, vector-borne diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental contamination.

Call for Unified Efforts in India:

• India must establish One Health and infectious disease control programs that foster collaboration between the Centre, States, and specialized agencies.
• Convergence between animal husbandry, forest and wildlife, municipal corporations, and public health departments is essential to build robust surveillance systems.
• Greater coordination and management are needed, especially with increased funding from sources like the World Bank.

Looking Beyond “Disease X”:

• While global attention often focuses on “Disease X,” the report highlights that known diseases like influenza, measles, and dengue will continue to challenge public health systems.
• Climate change also exacerbates injuries and deaths from extreme weather events, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues.
• The re-emergence of Nipah in Kerala serves as a wake-up call, highlighting the inadequacy of biomedical responses.

Conclusion:

The IPCC’s report underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address the intersecting challenges of climate change and infectious diseases.

Protecting ecosystems, promoting collaboration, and adopting the One Health paradigm are essential components of a proactive strategy.

The road ahead demands concerted efforts to safeguard the planet and its inhabitants in the face of a changing climate and growing infectious disease threats.