Climate events and an umbrella for urban health

Source: The post is based on the article “Climate events and an umbrella for urban health” published in “The Hindu” on 9th August 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

News: The author discusses the increased vulnerability of urban areas, especially slums, to diseases like malaria and dengue after extreme weather events in India. He is emphasising the need for a resilient urban primary health care system and better coordination for an effective response.

Why is there an increase in health vulnerability in urban areas?

Extreme Weather Events: Cyclones, floods, and heavy rains have caused devastation, leading to conducive conditions for water and vector-borne diseases.

Vector-borne Diseases: Diseases like malaria and dengue diseases are more likely to spread in rain-affected areas.

Poor Living Conditions: Many live in slums or informal urban settlements, which often lack proper sanitation and waste disposal.

Mobility: Movement of people between states can spread diseases.

Economic Vulnerability: Many slum residents work in the informal sector without social security benefits.

Inadequate Healthcare Infrastructure: Urban areas, especially vulnerable ones, receive a tiny fraction of primary health care funding.

What should be done about it?

Rebuild Health Systems: Focus on urban primary health-care resilience, especially in slums and peri-urban areas.

Increase Public Investment: More funds for vulnerable urban regions; a special fund from institutions like the Finance Commission can help.

Coordinate Efforts: States should work together, especially given the movement of people across borders, to manage and mitigate disease spread. Strengthen systems like the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, making them more comprehensive.

Streamline Governance: Overcome fragmentation in urban health governance for better coordination.

Leverage Lessons from COVID-19: Ensure data sharing, standardize treatments, and regulate costs during health emergencies.

Integrate Frontline Workers: Create multi-purpose health cadres that are accountable to both communities and health systems.

Plan for Climate Change: Recognize the increasing frequency of extreme events and plan public health responses accordingly.