Climate Smart Health Care Webinar Series

H.E.L.P – its role in unifying health care sector for environmentally sustainable health care

Health and Environment Leadership Platform was established in February 2017 in partnership with Public Health Foundation of India and Health Care Without Harm. Prof. K Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India, speaks about the goals and importance of this unique platform.

Health Care Climate Challenge

Climate change is the leading health threat of the 21st century. The health sector both contributes to climate change (4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions) and is susceptible to the impacts of climate change (extreme weather events, shifting and increased disease burden).

As the climate crisis is a health crisis, the health sector will be the first line of response to the impacts of climate change. Therefore, there is an urgent need for it to take climate action.
Indumathi Arunan, representing HELP, talks about one of the ways of the health sector is taking climate action- through the Health Care Climate Challenge. The webinar addresses what the challenge is and the requirements for hospitals to participate in it.

Telemedicine in Climate Smart Healthcare- Case Studies, Opportunities and Challenges

Telemedicine is the delivery of health care services using telecommunication and digital communication. Telemedicine can be an effective tool to enhance access to quality health care services in remote locations and can be beneficial in creating climate-smart healthcare as it has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare delivery in various ways.

Dr. Colin Cave, Director-External Affairs, Govt Relations & Community Health, Northwest Permanente P.C, Dr Arun P Jose Deputy Director- Centre for Digital Health, Public Health Foundation of India and Mr Mohammed Gowth, Senior Faculty, Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology; Incharge- Aravind Vision Centers discuss about the potential role of telemedicine in climate smart health care

Building sustainable food systems across Indian healthcare sector: Best practices and market opportunities

Locally sourced food varieties are more sustainable due to shorter travel distances from farms to plates. Such foods are also ecologically and socially sustainable, as these foods contribute to the enrichment of regional biodiversity and local livelihoods. There have been a few government initiatives to bring local indigenous food varieties back to our plates using nutrition programmes like Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM). H.E.L.P perceives a big role of health care sector in promoting locally grown indigenous food. Objective of this webinar is to sensitize H.E.L.P members understand the importance of developing sustainable food systems across healthcare sector in India and identify healthcare institutes as potential consumers.

Dr. C. M. Bhagat, Bhagat Hospitals, New Delhi and Dr. G.V. Ramanjaneyulu, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Secunderabad discusses the best practices on sourcing chemical free food for hospital canteen and market channels for sustainably grown food.

Introduction to Climate Change and Health: Perspectives for the Nursing Community

Climate change is real and already impacting us. It has emerged as the biggest public health concerns of recent times. Health care is at the forefront of this, bearing the cost of increased disease prevalence and more frequent extreme weather events. At the same time, the sector is also a significant contributor to climate change. H.E.L.P aspires to mobilise nurses in India as potential educators of climate change. As the most trusted professionals, they are well placed to educate health care community, patients, and their families about health impacts of climate change.

Prof Ruth McDermott-Levy, Professor and Co-Director, Mid-Atlantic Center for Children’s Health and the Environment, M Louise Fitzpatric College of Nursing, Villanova University speaks about the role of nursing community in the movement against climate change.

Climate Impact Checkup Tool Training: Measuring the carbon footprints of Hospitals

The health sector contributes 4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If it was a country, it would be the fifth largest emitter in the world. The health sector has a responsibility to reduce these emissions and move towards net zero health care.

The health sector contributes 4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If it was a country, it would be the fifth largest emitter in the world. The health sector has a responsibility to reduce these emissions and move towards net zero health care. Climate Impact Checkup Tool. Only H.E.L.P members will be able to access this tool.

Reducing Health Care’s Carbon Footprint: a roadmap and tool for decarbonization

The health care sector contributes substantially to the net global carbon emissions. Not only does the sector contribute to climate change, but it also faces the brunt of the impacts of climate change such as increased extreme weather events and disease burden. Therefore, it is crucial that the health sector become climate-smart by reducing its contribution to global emissions, as well as adapting and building resilience in the face of climate change.

Health Care Without Harm and Arup developed a roadmap for health care decarbonization which lists practical actions that the health sector should take to achieve net zero-emissions, resilience, and health equity. HCWH also developed a tool to measure, track and reduce any hospital’s carbon footprint. This webinar will introduce H.E.L.P members with the decarbonization roadmap and climate impact checkup tool.

Addressing Air Pollution and Health Effects: Role of Health Sector in Communication and Awareness

Air pollution is a major cause of premature deaths and disease and is the largest environmental health threat globally. It kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. Air Pollution alone was responsible for 1.7 million deaths in India in 2019. The WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline. 7th September marks the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies; this year its theme is “Healthy Air, Healthy Planet” which emphasizes the health aspects of air pollution. Aim of this webinar is to highlight the impacts of Air Pollution on Human Health. The discussion will also emphasise on the role of the health care fraternity in curbing air pollution and its health effects through enhanced communication.

Dr. Kiran Guleria, Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi. and GTB Hospital, Dr. H Paramesh, Chairman Lakeside Education Trust, Visiting Prof. DCCC IISc. Bengaluru, Dr. Murali Mohan, Internal Medicine, Pulmonology, Narayana Health, Bangalore, Dr. D Prabhakaran, Cardiologist and Vice-President (Research and Policy), Public Health Foundation of India and Ms. Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends discussed the health impacts of air pollution and importance of communications in educating people.

Strengthening Health care Resilience in Flood-Prone Areas

In India, floods have become very common, almost an annual incident for states like Assam, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha. With the occurrence of extreme climate events on the rise, it is the need of the hour to make the health systems climate-resilient. During events like floods, health care facilities are expected to be last standing and serving entity in the region. Health department is expected to work in coordination with the disaster management authorities. Aspects like risk mapping, disease surveillance, ensuring stock of essential supplies are critical to resilient health systems. In addition to that, the design and location of health care facilities itself is of importance, to ensure that they do not collapse during events of floods.

Prof. Dr. Anil Dewan, HoD, Dept. of Architecture and Ar. Niyati Gupta, PhD scholar, Dept. of Architecture from School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and Dr. Basanta Kumar Pradhan, State Nodal Officer – Climate Change, Odisha are speaking about the importance, opportunities, and issues with respect to resilience of health care to flood prone areas in India.

Energy Efficiency in Health care Facilities

Energy efficiency is good for the environment we live in. Saving energy reduces air and water pollution, conserves natural resources, and creates healthier living environments. Energy efficiency measures can support good physical and mental health, primarily, by creating healthy indoor living environments with healthy air temperatures, humidity levels, noise levels, and improved air quality. Energy efficiency in buildings create conditions that support improved occupant health and well-being. Energy efficiency in health care facilities will lead to reduced consumption of electricity and associated energy footprint. It is also important for health care facilities that aspire to switch to renewable energy options to first improve the energy efficiency of its building, equipment, and operations.

Dr. Satish Kumar, President, and Executive Director – Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) talks about the importance, opportunities, and issues with respect to energy efficiency in Indian health care facilities.

Sustainable Initiatives to Combat Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR): Perspectives from Pharmaceutical Sector

Waste Management & Statutory Compliance in Indian Hospital Settings

Waste that a hospital generates is varied and enormous and that makes it important for hospitals to discard or dispose them off in proper manner through authorised agencies appointed by the government. This webinar is an effort to apprise the audience about the Statutory Compliance regarding waste management that Hospitals in India must follow.

Mr. Nishant Jaiswal, General Manager – Operations speaks about the Statutory Compliances and waste management

Reducing Health care’s Carbon Footprint: Lessons in Effective Hospital Waste Management

Bio-medical waste is a mix of organic and inorganic waste. Daily a huge amount of bio-medical waste is generated in a hospital. Waste segregation at source, waste treatment at source, and waste disposal. Efficient and proper management of this waste has the potential to reduce carbon footprint of a health care facility. Aravind Eye Care, a H.E.L.P member had taken initiatives to manage their waste in an efficient manner.

Mr. Vengadesan Natarajan, Manager – Quality Assurance, Aravind Eye Hospital shares the experiences of the hospital with a hope that it will benefit the audiences of this webinar

How do Innovative steps bring Energy Efficiency at Jupiter Hospital

H.E.L.P is hosting a series of webinar on Climate-smart innovations happening in the Indian health care sector which are low-carbon models of care and resilient against climate threat. These webinars will be focusing on the implementation of initiatives on buildings, energy, transport, waste, water, plastic, and the supply chain.

In this webinar Mr. Neelesh Shinde, CTO, Jupiter Hospitals talks about their innovations in energy and operational efficiency

Greening Hospital Buildings: An example by LEED certification

This webinar provides an overview of LEED-certified healthcare facilities and how it benefits people and the planet. LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) is important because it leads to healthier and more productive places, reduces stress on the environment, and enhances building value. Architects Nandini Bazaz, Swanand Mahashabde, and Hema Wadikar present on greening healthcare through building infrastructure and landscaping.