Climate change has ceased to be a future threat anymore – these days, it is a major part of our lives. This is an urgent reality and one that demands immediate action. It is estimated that between 2030 and 2050 250,000 additional humans will die because of ailments stemming from climate change such as malaria, diarrhoea, and malnutrition. Climate change’s impact on the world is rather evident these days with the extreme weather conditions and increasing global temperatures. In India, it is affecting various sectors of the economy rather badly, including the pharmaceutical industry in India.
More natural disasters affecting the supply chain
Whenever natural calamities happen, they can derail critical infrastructure, and severely so! This includes distribution networks and manufacturing sectors that are integral parts of the pharmaceutical industry in India. Whenever these facilities suffer damage it causes delays in the production process, breaks down the equipment used in such work, and disrupts the transportation of medicines. This can cause difficulties for the patients as they do not get their medicines on time which jeopardizes their health and overall well-being. Such natural disasters also affect the reliability and stability of the supply chain.
Proliferation of diseases because of changing climate
Climate change is a major reason why the dynamics of the spreading of diseases are changing. Thanks to greater rainfall and warmer temperatures you have new environments that are favorable for insects like ticks and mosquitoes that carry diseases. They play a major role in transmitting diseases to animals and humans. Vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria are spreading to newer areas and becoming commoner by the day. Alongside, you have new strains of disease that can resist drugs thus making it even more difficult for the pharmaceutical industry in India.
Physical damage to equipment and facilities
Extreme weather can prove to be damaging to manufacturing plants, transportation infrastructure, and storage warehouses, all of which are integral parts of the pharmaceutical industry in India. In cases where facilities are breached by floodwater, equipment might start to malfunction, and production areas might become impossible to use. In cases of storms accompanied by storm winds buildings can be damaged structurally and this can compromise the integrity of the facilities. If the facilities are sensitive to heat waves, equipment might overheat thus leading to potential breakdowns. These physical damages can always disrupt the manufacturing process.
Conclusion
Apart from these, nowadays there is great pressure on the pharmaceutical industry in India thanks to all the regulatory changes to reduce its carbon footprint. This is especially true for the companies at the top of the rank. The government is forever asking these organizations to reduce their emissions so that climate change can be combated in the best way possible. Companies such as Prakruti Life Science might have achieved these goals but not every organization in the industry finds it that easy. After all, complying with these regulations means investing in energy-efficient infrastructure and making strategies to reduce emissions.