Rohit Shishodia
Doctors and environmentalists have stressed the need of better mechanism and preparedness to save and treat patients affected with diseases triggered by climate change.

This observation has come after the recent floods in Kerala, Bihar and other parts of the country where a number of people died due to lack of planned mechanism and treatment.

Speaking at a one week workshop; 'Climate Change Disaster and Health: Epidemiology and Response Preparedness' at Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, the doctors and other experts discussed planning and preventive measures in hospitals and pherpherial health facilities.

On the sidelines of the workshop, Dr Jugal Kishore, Professor and Director, Department of Community Medicine, Safdarjung Hospital-VMMC, said that the number of patients of respiratory and non-communicable ailments, vector borne diseases and malnutrition  have increased due to climate changes which include heat waves, cold waves, floods, malnutrition.

“Whenever any disaster comes, many people will be displaced and get injured. People are needed to be taught how they should safeguard themselves. Mumbai was recently flooded. In the flood, people take contaminated water which causes gastroenteritis, cholera ricketts, diseases caused by rats,’ urine. Center for Disease Control and Prevention plays a vital role in recognizing the diseases,” explained Dr Kishore.   

Similarly, there is need for better planning for such patients in hospitals, he added.

The doctors pointed out that treatment facilities, including public health center and community health centers in remote areas, should be well prepared to tackle the diseases.

They said that health centers should be well aware of the situations when flood and heat or cold waves come. They said that hospitals should have action plan to treat such patients. "Under prepared health centers cannot manage patients affected with calamities. We need to gear up and should adapt according to situations triggered by climate change," they added.

“When we talk about Safdarjung Hospital and other central government hospitals where we get directives from health ministry to manage the treatment, we manage it. But in small health centers there is need for planning.  Similarly, health centers in remote areas need better mechanisms,” explained the doctors.