Healthcare industry needs to functionally readjust to meet challenges posed by climate change: Experts

Faced with the task of reducing its carbon footprint, the healthcare industry requires to “functionally adjust” itself in terms of energy consumption, usage of energy efficient equipment and materials, and waste generation and handling, if it were to meet the challenges posed by climate change, speakers at a conference in Chennai highlighted on Thursday (February 5, 2026).

Healthcare delivery systems contribute substantially to carbon emissions through resource-intense operations and high energy use and it becomes imperative to address the gaps in efficiency in its built environment through introduction of sustainable practices. Climate change was also accelerating non-communicable and infectious diseases burden, underlining the need for preparing clinical services for shifting disease patterns, disasters, and population displacement.

At the Global Summit on “Climate Change Mitigation, Healthcare Perspective” organised by the Common Wealth Medical Association (CMA), practitioners deliberated on the need for shaping solutions to enhance system resilience and patient care.

Delivering the keynote address, S. Arulrhaj, past national president, IMA, said heat-related stress, acute cardiovascular events, respiratory issues, and the spread of vector-borne diseases are all exacerbated by climate change. Mitigation efforts should include enhancing energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable sources.

J.A. Jayalal, president, CMA, said the two-pronged agenda of the organisation was to enable the medical fraternity to build carbon-neutral hospitals as well as face challenges posed by shifting disease patterns.

At a panel discussion on Green Hospital Operations that preceded the inaugural session, G. Jerard Maria Selvam, Additional Director, National Health Mission-Tamil Nadu, said the sector accounted for 65% of energy consumption making it necessary to adopt efficient measures like switch-off policies, using energy efficient equipment and LED lights, recycling water, and installing solar power plants.

Sumathy Prem Anand, medical director, Darshan Fertility and Women’s Medical Centre, said she encouraged the use of sustainable menstrual products like menstrual cups and washable sanitary pads, which could reduce the per capita generation of waste from 100 kg to only 600 grams in a lifetime. “We have survived the era of reusables. I think we should go back to it to reduce our dependence on disposables,” Dr. Sumathy added.

Venkata Phanidhar Nelluri, founder and chief mentor, Sasta Healthcare, said if electronic medical records system was introduced for the entire healthcare industry in Tamil Nadu, it could save at least 50,000 trees every year. Use of technology like tele-consultations to reduce OPD load or IoT devices to monitor patients so that care could shift from hospitals to homes could also be explored, he added.

Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, Judicial Member of the National Green Tribunal, said healthcare institutions should lead through accountability, ethical governance, and responsible environmental practices while maintaining that summits like these could help turn policy into action.

Nitin M. Nagarkar, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Medical and Health Sciences), SRMIST, batted for universities embedding sustainability into teaching, research, and practice.

V. Sridhar, president, Indian Medical Association-Tamil Nadu, K. Joy Mogambi, secretary general, CMA, and R.V. Asokan, vice president, CMA, were among a host of participants.

Published – February 06, 2026 08:35 am IST