Impact of climate change on public health will be huge

Thousands of people across the globe from environmental ministers and specialists to officials from 192 countries have been attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark from December 7, 2009. This conference was organized for nations across the globe to arrive at a consensus on carbon emissions, the mission being to save the world from the adverse effects of overheating or popularly termed as global warming.

With less then 48 hours to go for the end of the summit, the deadlock on climate change among the rich and poor countries is not over what with intense bickering among these nations regarding actions on climate-change mitigation and adaptation. As the stalemate continues, there is no getting away from the fact that adverse effects of climate change on public health are already being felt in a huge way, and if not corrected, will entail prolonged health risks.

Weather and climate changes have strong influences on health, as they affect food and water supplies, result in emergence of infectious diseases such as dengue and malaria and also natural disasters like floods. The worst affected populace of global warming is likely to be the inhabitants of developing countries, particularly in densely populated coastal areas, forests, small Insland states, and high mountain zones.

Vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue are of primary concern. Both temperature and surface water have strong influences on the spread of the vector mosquito species, which require stagnant water to breed. Malaria, mostly affects people in tropical and sub tropical countries, where weather conditions facilitate the breeding of mosquitoes, thereby increasing the rate of transmission of the disease. Dengue, affecting people based in urban settings, is caused due to surface water pooling, among other factors.

Diarrhea, also known to be sensitive to climate change, is at its peak during the rainy reason, especially in the tropical zones. Floods and droughts are touted as the major factors that increase the risk of the disease. Other conditions that are caused due to contaminated water are cholera, E coli infection, typhoid and hepatitis A.

Extreme weather and climate changes can exacerbate complications and pose death risks for those who have preexisting conditions like cardiovascular disease and respiratory problems. The very young and old and those with low immunity are susceptible.