BHUBANESWAR : Amid rising concerns over El Nino and the possibility of intensifying heat conditions, farmers in Bargarh district are facing prolonged daily heat stress, high agrochemical exposure and health risks.
Prevalence of dehydration, urinary tract infections and reduced kidney function are on a steep rise among farmers in Bargarh district, a report ‘Living with Heat in India: Heat-health Risks, Vulnerability, and Emerging Responses’, prepared by Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) South Asia Hub, has revealed.
CKDu, a form of chronic kidney disease without an established cause, has emerged as a significant health concern. Apart from Odisha, CKDu clusters have been reported in AP, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Goa. These clusters share epidemiological and clinical similarities with those documented in Central America, Sri Lanka and Egypt, the report stated.
Research involving workers aged 18-75 years across 36 villages in Uddanam, a CKDu hotspot in AP, found significantly higher heat exposure among agricultural, brick kiln and construction workers.
Outdoor workers engaged in heavy workloads at wet-bulb globe temperatures (WBGT) above 27.5 deg C and those performing moderate workloads above 28 deg C, were twice as likely to have reduced kidney function compared with workers undertaking similar activities under lower heat exposure.
Beyond specific disease outcomes, heat exposure imposes a substantial, quantifiable burden on labour capacity and household income in India, with direct implications for healthcare expenditure and access, the report stated, adding that in Tamil Nadu, informal outdoor workers with heat exposure consistently above safe threshold faced a 1.4-fold increase in the risk of productivity loss during 2021-23, as per one research, it stated.
The report also flagged India’s growing heat-health vulnerability, driven by rising temperatures, socioeconomic inequalities and gaps in preparedness.
While India has strengthened surveillance for heat-related illnesses, the report called for a shift from emergency response towards long-term, health-centric adaptation.
It recommended that heat action must extend beyond disaster management and integrate agriculture, labour, water, urban planning and public health systems.