Climate Change and Health: South Asia’s Hidden Emergency
By Dr. Asma Fatima Makhdoom
South Asia is experiencing climate change on several fronts—ballooning temperatures, killer floods, and extended heatwaves. What is less noticed, however, is that these disasters are creating a hidden public health emergency.
As Pakistan’s 2022 floods forced millions into displacement, standing water unleashed cholera, malaria, and dengue outbreaks. Death tolls due to record heatwaves were registered in India and Bangladesh, particularly among the elderly, outdoor laborers, and children. Climate-related health shocks may imperil hundreds of millions of people’s well-being in the region by 2050, warns the World Bank.
Innovation as a Lifeline
Amidst these challenges, innovation brings hope. Bangladesh has tested mobile-based heat alerts to alert communities before the onset of heatwaves. Solar-powered clinics in rural Pakistan and Nepal are maintaining vaccine refrigeration and services during electricity outages. Digital tools are now accurately predicting dengue outbreaks.
These instances prove that technology, when enabled, can safeguard vulnerable populations.
Policy Gaps Holding Us Back
Innovation, however, is not enough to fill the gap. Climate-resilient health systems account for less than 1% of South Asia’s GDP. Policymakers continue to view climate as an environmental problem and not a health crisis, capping cross-sectoral responses.
A “Health in All Policies” strategy is imperative. Cleaner urban transport is not green policy per se—it saves lives outright by cutting back respiratory disease.
A Way Forward
To secure the future, South Asia requires:
More resilient health systems in response to climate—flood-resistant hospitals, heatwave refuges, and solar-powered clinics.
Increased regional cooperation—a combined climate-health task force for sharing information and early alerts.
Empowerment of the community—heatstroke and waterborne diseases prevention awareness campaigns.
Conclusion
South Asia is on the front lines of climate change. By connecting policy to innovation, the region can convert this crisis into a chance to create healthier, more resilient societies. The decision is ours: act today, or allow tomorrow’s climate catastrophes to spiral into avoidable public health disaster
