Doctor's prescription for a better future

DOC IS IN: Dr Amit Varma gives some important tips on the occasion of World Heath Day.

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New Delhi: On the occasion of World Health Day, Fortis Hospital's Director Critical Care, Dr Amit Varma talks about some of the biggest health scares that may occur in the future due to climate change.

Climate Change has taken devastating global dimensions, hurricanes like Katrina, Rita and Wilma are just a few to name. The immediate concern is its implications on human health.

Malaria is one of the biggest killer diseases in the world, and the statistics are terrifying. A WHO study says, 270 million people worldwide are affected by it, and nearly 3 million people eventually die.

To add to this, because of rising temperatures, other 'vector-borne' diseases such as, dengue, yellow fever and encephalitis are going to take disturbing proportions in the subcontinent.

In a country like India where water pollution goes unchecked, chances are diseases like cholera will spread fast.

Lack of hygiene in rural areas leads to a score of health hazards, a disease like diarrhoea kills 1.8 million people globally.

Also, rising temperatures, warmer winters, hotter summers, will add to our woes. Perhaps we've already started to feel the pinch of freak weather, with Mumbai experiencing the chill at 10 degrees this year.

Cold related deaths are estimated to rise by 20,000 in the next decade, and clearly, curbing climate change is the need of the hour.

The policy should be 'think globally' but act ‘locally’; lifestyle changes can make huge differences -

Switch to CFLs, use energy efficient appliances, and say no to plastics. Also go green, and one should plant at leas one tree in one's lifetime.

The list is endless, but these few tips can make a huge difference, so do it because our planet is in crisis, and it's showing us all the signs.

For more queries write into health@ibnlive.com