India to see increase in vector, water borne diseases

NEW DELHI: Predicting a plethora of health problems as a result of climate change, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday said countries like India would see an increase in vector and water-borne diseases specially in the northern region as a result of global warming.

"The window of transmission for a disease like malaria would go up by nearly three months. Other vector-borne diseases would see a rise in northern region of the country," WHO representative in India Salim Habayeb told a press conference here on the occasion of World Health Day.

Emphasising on the "serious and damaging effects" of climate change on human health, WHO Regional Director Samlee Pilanbangchang said, "air quality will suffer greatly and respiratory diseases will increase".

"Heat waves will be more intense and of longer duration, mainly affecting the most vulnerable populations in children and elderly through heat strokes and cardiovascular complications," he said.

According to him, the six health outcomes which are likely to be affected by climate change in the region are -- respiratory diseases, vector-borne diseases, water-borne diseases, malnutrition, injuries and psychological stress.

The majority of the diseases would be a result of changing rain patterns due to melting of glaciers and resultant natural calamities like floods and cyclones, WHO Deputy Regional Director Poonam Khetrapal Singh said.