Climate change responsible for disease & premature deaths: Prof. Rais Akhtar
Aligarh: The CSIR Emeritus Scientist Prof. Rais Akhtar said that climate change currently contributes heavily to the global burden of disease and premature deaths and there shall be an increase in the frequency of cardio-respiratory diseases due to increases in ground level ozone related to climate change. Prof. Akhtar was delivering a lecture on “Climate Change and Health” at the Department of Orthopaedics Surgery, JNMC, Aligarh Muslim Press Release University. Prof. Rais Akhtar further said that the adaptive capacity needs to be improved everywhere as the impact of hurricanes and heat waves show that even high income countries are not well prepared to cope with extreme weather events.
Prof. Akhtar said that climate change has altered the distribution of some infectious disease vectors. It has also increased the dangers of heat wave related deaths, increased malnutrition and consequent disorders, change in the range of infectious disease vectors and the burden of diarrheal diseases. Prof. Rais Akhtar said that adverse health impacts of such changes will be greatest in low-income countries. Those at greater risk include in all countries (urban poor, the elderly and children, traditional societies, subsistence farmers and coastal population). He said that the manner in which economic growth occurs and the growth benefits are distributed will be very important in shaping the health of populations such as education, health care and public health infrastructure.
Prof. Khalid Sherwani, while introducing the guest speaker said that Prof. Rais Akhtar, currently Emeritus Scientist CSIP, Geography, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, JNU, New Delhi has also taught at JNU, the University of Zambia, Lusaka and University of Kashmir, Srinagar. Prof. Akhtar has received several highly prestigious awards including Liverhulme Fellowship (University of Liverpool), Henry Chapman Fellowship (University of London), Visiting Fellowship, University of Sussex, Commonwealth Secretariat Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, London, Visiting Professor, University of Paris. Prof. Sherwani said that a number of highly acclaimed research apers of Prof. Rais Akhtar have been published in international journals of high repute and Prof. Akhtar has already delivered a number of lectures around the world.
The lecture was attended by Prof. S. Abrar Hasan, Dean Faculty of Medicine, Prof. A. A. Iraqi, Dr. Mohammad Zahid, Prof. M. Amanullah Khan, Prof. Imran Ghani, Prof. H. S. Khan, Prof. Rana Sherwani, Dr. Mazhar Abbas, Dr. Nayyar Asif, Dr. M. Aslam and a number of senior and junior residents.
