India, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is poised to establish a groundbreaking Climate Change and Health Hub in the capital city of New Delhi. The inception of this hub echoes India’s prior achievement of hosting the inaugural World Health Organization (WHO) Centre for Global Traditional Medicine, situated in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The forthcoming climate change and health hub is designed to serve as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, fostering collaborations, and catalyzing innovations. Its scope is not confined to the G-20 nations, but particularly emphasizes engagement with developing countries. In a recent release of its G-20 outcomes document, India underscored the profound impact of climate change on health, emphasizing its role in precipitating health crises, resurgence of infectious diseases, and escalating natural disasters. These factors collectively challenge the capacity of healthcare systems to provide vital services.
Among its core objectives, the hub will prioritize the development of climate-resilient healthcare systems. This involves the establishment of sustainable, low-carbon, and low greenhouse gas emission healthcare infrastructures and supply chains. Mobilizing resources to bolster resilient, environmentally conscious healthcare systems is also a critical goal. The hub’s facilitative role extends to promoting collaboration initiatives such as the WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). By aiding countries worldwide in identifying and addressing new and existing drivers of climate-related challenges through a scientific and risk-focused approach, the Climate Change and Health Hub in New Delhi will play a pivotal role. Furthermore, its contribution extends to enhancing existing infectious disease surveillance mechanisms.
Given the universal impact of climate change, this hub serves as a forum for diverse partners to convene, discuss, and learn from each other. With India’s recent affirmation in the G-20 outcomes document that climate change will persistently instigate health crises and the resurgence of infectious diseases, coupled with the amplified frequency and severity of natural disasters, the imperative to fortify healthcare systems against the ramifications of climate change becomes paramount.