Climate change reshaping disease patterns, straining health systems, finds report

A new report reveals climate change is severely impacting health in India, reshaping disease patterns and straining healthcare systems.

Climate change is emerging as a major public health threat in India, reshaping disease patterns, straining healthcare systems, and placing nearly 40% of districts at high risk from extreme weather events, according to a new report. 

The report, Under the Weather: India’s Climate-Health Intersections and Pathways to Resilience, by Dasra, a philanthropy fund organisation, highlights how rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, floods, and cyclones are no longer isolated events but part of a continuous cycle of disruption affecting health, livelihoods, and access to care across the country.

Extreme weather events in India are increasing in frequency and intensity, bringing both immediate and long-term risks, the report notes. Floods trigger outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as cholera and hepatitis, while heatwaves lead to dehydration, heatstroke, and increased cardiovascular stress.

The report says climate change is altering how diseases spread. Warmer temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are expanding the range of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria into new regions. Areas that were previously unaffected, including Shimla, parts of Jammu & Kashmir, and the Himalayan foothills, are now reporting cases. The report also identifies Pune as a major dengue hotspot, with cases expected to rise further.

Non-communicable diseases are also linked to climate stress. Heat exposure has been associated with higher cardiovascular mortality, while worsening air pollution contributes to respiratory illnesses and chronic conditions. Climate change, the report says, is acting as a “health-risk multiplier”, increasing both disease burden and pressure on healthcare systems. 

Unequal burden