The Impact of Climate Change on Emergency Healthcare in India: Research by Prof. Caleb Dresser

The Bigger Picture: Investing in Climate-Resilient Healthcare

These conversations point to a pressing need for change: better training for healthcare workers, stronger heat-related readiness and health protection policies, and more investment in healthcare infrastructure—especially cooling resources.

The project also faced challenges. Building partnerships with local organizations took time and led to adjustments in the project’s original objectives. Additionally, most survey respondents were physicians, meaning voices from nurses, emergency responders, and other key staff were underrepresented.

Despite these hurdles, the project has laid important groundwork. The literature review has been developed into a manuscript currently under peer review, and the pilot survey is being used to inform a larger, multi-region study that will gather more detailed, diverse, and actionable data through surveys and interviews with a broader range of healthcare professionals.

As climate change continues to threaten public health, investing in research-led solutions is essential to building a stronger, more resilient healthcare system in India.

Read more about Faculty Work on Climate here.

Read more about Climate Change in South Asia here.