Weather and climate play a significant role in people’s health. Changes in climate affect the average weather conditions that one is accustomed to and this has an impact on the public health, senior consultant of National Health Mission, Odisha Mithun Karmakar said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Climate and Health’ organized by Bhubaneswar chapter of Indian Meteorological Society and PG Department of Geography ,Utkal University , Karmarkar said climate change refers to any change in climate over time whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity.
Past climatic conditions reveal the fact that from time to time climate has varied to a great extent. Climate change affecting public health include increase in the frequency or severity of extreme weather events, heat stress, cyclone, storm, flood, drought and resultant health impacts. For example, in heat wave conditions one suffers from rash, cramps and exhaustion while in winter acute bronchitis and asthma are prevalent, she said.
Cyclones and floods, which are common in Odisha, cause immediate death ,infection , mental depression and many other stomach related diseases. In the Super Cyclone, which hit Odisha in 1999, thousands of people were killed or injured.
Due to effects of abnormal temperature rise, precipitation patterns and longer warm seasons, climate sensitive infectious and vector borne diseases like dengue, malaria, Filaria, chicungunya and diarrhea are caused, she said.
Besides increase in the concentrations of unhealthy air and water pollutants due to temperature rise result in climatic induced environmental changes, eco system disruption and resultant health impacts. Among others, IMS, Bhubaneswar chapter Secretary Prabir Kumar Bal and Head of PG Department of Geography KC Rath were present.