HYDERABAD: If climate change is indeed the biggest global health threat, public health professionals say that women and children in developing countries will be hit hardest. Research has shown that deep inequalities make them the most vulnerable to scarcity and disease when community sources start to shrink. “Malnutrition poses the biggest threat to children,” paediatrics professor Louis Reynolds said. “If temperature rises by 3 degrees centigrade, deaths from malnutrition will go up by three million.” He was speaking from South Africa through a video conference held last week on ‘Climate Change and its Impact on Women's and Children's Health'.
Dr. Reynolds said greater poverty and poorer access to food and primary care would increase malnutrition. Although not responsible for climate change, developing countries and the poor, particularly, would pay the highest price in the absence of ‘climate justice'. “Part of the problem is lack of research” ,said Mala Rao, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health. “Heat waves will have an impact on women's obstetrics but we don't know enough yet.” What they do know is disheartening. Drought, an obvious effect of climate change, will see wives going hungry to feed their husbands, and girls eating less than their brothers.
Source: The Hindu, Dated: 17.03.2010
Dr. Reynolds said greater poverty and poorer access to food and primary care would increase malnutrition. Although not responsible for climate change, developing countries and the poor, particularly, would pay the highest price in the absence of ‘climate justice'. “Part of the problem is lack of research” ,said Mala Rao, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health. “Heat waves will have an impact on women's obstetrics but we don't know enough yet.” What they do know is disheartening. Drought, an obvious effect of climate change, will see wives going hungry to feed their husbands, and girls eating less than their brothers.
Source: The Hindu, Dated: 17.03.2010
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