2 min readMay 22, 2026 10:03 PM IST
By Piyush M Padwale
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Fellow of Royal Society and Chairperson of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation on Friday made a strong case for making health systems climate-sensitive and locally responsive.
“Climate change is impacting health outcomes , while disproportionately impacting women, children, and vulnerable communities. Air pollution remains one of the biggest threats to life expectancy, with nearly 70 percent of Indians living in areas exceeding safe air quality standards. Heat-related illnesses and mortality are also rising, alongside the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, injuries, and ageing-related health concerns,” Dr Swaminathan said.
She was in Pune to deliver the 9th Banoo Coyaji Oration organised by KEM Hospital Research centre and KEM Hospital. Speaking on “Community, Climate and Care – Reviving People-Centred Public Health Systems,” Dr Swaminathan said that cities need resilient, sustainable infrastructure that supports both people and the planet.
“Greater focus is needed on quality healthcare, geriatric care and reducing health inequities driven by unhealthy diets, tobacco, alcohol and so on. Communities and the healthcare workforce must remain at the centre of public health action,” she added. Invoking the concept of bio happiness as envisaged by her father renowned Prof M S Swaminathan, she proposed “bio-happiness” as a measurable sustainable development framework.
“This is a holistic framework where human well-being is deeply connected to biodiversity conservation and includes natural capital, physical capital, financial capital , human capital and social capital. This could create harmony between people and nature, ensuring sustainable health, nutrition, livelihoods, and development for present and future generations,” Dr Swaminathan said.
The lecture also focused on the importance of integrating climate-sensitive healthcare policies, improving primary healthcare delivery and empowering local communities to build sustainable health systems for the future. Earlier, Dr Laila Garda, Director, KEM Hospital Research Centre said that The Banoo Coyaji Oration, instituted in memory of Dr Banoo Coyaji’s pioneering contribution to community health and rural healthcare in India, continues to serve as an important platform for dialogue on critical public health issues.
