SINGAPORE – As merciless heatwaves could become more frequent and long-lasting in climate-vulnerable South-east Asia, health systems need better data and resource allocation to more adequately address the impact of climate change on human health.

Heat exposure can have direct impacts, like causing heat stress, heatstrokes or dehydration, or indirect impacts like exacerbating underlying conditions, such as heart disease.

Increased surveillance and recording of heat-related health outcomes is needed, said Mr Basil Rodriques, regional health adviser at the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).

He was speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines of the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2024 held at Marina Bay Sands on April 16.

According to a study published in Lancet Planetary Health in June 2022, heatwaves were associated with an 11.7 per cent increase in risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality. 

Mr Rodriques pointed out that if data captures only the most immediate cause of death, such as cardiac-related factors, it likely neglects the contributory role of heat stress. 

“Understanding where heat might come into play and recording it as such should also be part of how negative outcomes in health are recorded,” he added.

“I think governments now are more aware, and we begin to see the data now evolving to follow as such.”

Other than data, a robust healthcare system is also needed for countries to cope with the impact of climate change. 

Mr Rodriques said that the Covid-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in some healthcare systems, and these gaps cannot be closed overnight. 

“For those who need access to sophisticated services like MRIs or CT scans, and they live 100km away from the nearest health facility that has capacity – that will not change in two years,” he said, adding that there is a need for more investment and public-private partnerships. 

The need for more research and collaboration to better understand climate change-induced health issues was discussed at the panel, A Conversation on the Climate and Health Nexus, at the philanthropic conference. 

Dr Alan Dangour, director of climate and health at Wellcome Trust, a charitable foundation devoted to health research based in Britain, said Asia is one of the regions with the highest number of high temperature days globally. 

But there is limited research done on heat’s impact on human health.

While there are studies looking into heat’s impact on athletic performance, little is known about how vulnerable communities are affected, he said.

“What has not been done is if you put a pregnant woman into a (heat) chamber because, of course, you can’t do that. But nature is doing that for us, and we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Heat also leads to an increase in depression, suicide and violence cases. But there is a lack of data and research on why, added Dr Dangour. 

To tackle the lack of research, Wellcome Trust has made a commitment to spend £1.5 billion (S$2.5 billion) a year on health-focused research.

Over the last year, Dr Dangour said the foundation has funded more than £40 million worth of projects in Asia on research in areas such as the impact of heat on maternal and child health.

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said that Wellcome Trust has funded more than £14 million worth of projects in Asia on research. It should be more than £40 million. This has been corrected. We are sorry for the error.