Tamil Nadu Launches ‘One Health & Climate Hub’ to Address Climate Change’s Health Impacts

The initiative aims to address the growing burden of climate-sensitive diseases, including zoonotic infections, vector-borne illnesses, heat stress, and respiratory ailments.

Tamil Nadu is set to establish a One Health and Climate Change Hub at district and state levels, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to integrate human, animal, and environmental health data.

The initiative aims to address the growing burden of climate-sensitive diseases, including zoonotic infections, vector-borne illnesses, heat stress, and respiratory ailments.

At a symposium held on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Supriya Sahu emphasized the importance of streamlining existing data and making it accessible to all stakeholders. "It is essential to consolidate data and uncover actionable patterns to develop effective strategies," Sahu said. She further urged various departments to collaborate in developing sustainable policies to manage the health impacts of climate change.

Real-Time Data and Disease Monitoring

The One Health and Climate Change Centre will focus on real-time data collection, analysis, and reporting to monitor the physical, financial, and epidemiological profiles of climate-sensitive illnesses. AI will play a pivotal role in analyzing integrated datasets to identify patterns and support resource allocation, healthcare infrastructure development, and policymaking.

Speaking on the broader implications, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research Dean (Research) Kalpana Balakrishnan highlighted the urgency of addressing the health challenges posed by climate change. "Climate change is disrupting health systems in ways we do not fully understand yet, and inaction will come at a high cost," Balakrishnan stated.

Environment Secretary P Senthilkumar proposed the formation of district-level subcommittees comprising experts from diverse departments and academic institutions to support the initiative.

Pilot Projects for Scalable Solutions

Experts at the event recommended launching pilot projects in select districts to refine strategies before broader implementation. "Pilots will help stakeholders design better policies and propose scalable solutions," said Dr. Anjali Prakash, Managing Director of Nature Conservancy India.

Furthermore, the hub is expected to enhance Tamil Nadu's ability to manage the health impacts of climate change through improved data integration and collaborative policymaking. Experts believe this initiative could set a precedent for addressing climate-linked health challenges in other regions.