Former WHO Deputy Director-General says tackling air pollution and other global health threats requires a whole-of-government approach.
India faces several of the 17 threats to human health identified by the Lancet Commission on 21st Century Global Threats to Health. While many are already affecting millions of people, others could pose serious risks in the decades ahead.
Speaking to NDTV's Health Editor, Sneha Mordani, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) and former Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said these threats are not inevitable and can be addressed through coordinated action.
"The key message is that these threats are not inevitable. Many can be addressed through the right actions, particularly by governments working in partnership with the private sector and communities," she said.
The Commission has identified 17 interconnected threats, ranging from climate change, air pollution, obesity and antimicrobial resistance to unhealthy ageing and low educational attainment. It has not ranked them by likelihood or priority.
Two threats stand out for their potentially catastrophic consequences: the malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI) and nuclear conflict.
Air pollution needs a whole-of-government approach
Air pollution increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Addressing it requires sustained action across multiple sectors, including transport, industry, household fuels and waste management.
"Addressing air pollution requires a combination of actions rather than a single intervention. Awareness of its health consequences has increased, and this needs to translate into effective measures," Dr Swaminathan said.
"We need action on transport, industrial emissions, indoor air pollution caused by burning fuels, and solid waste management."
She stressed that pollution-control measures must extend beyond urban centres.
"Addressing these four areas can considerably reduce the burden of air pollution in both urban and rural areas. We must not forget rural communities when developing pollution-control strategies."
Emphasising the need for coordination, she added: "A coordinated, whole-of-government approach is essential, with different ministries and stakeholders working together."
AI misuse and nuclear conflict: Existential threats
The Commission has identified the malicious use of AI and nuclear conflict as existential threats because of their potential to cause large-scale destruction and threaten humanity's survival.
"Of the 17, there are two risks: the malicious use of artificial intelligence and a nuclear conflict, which could lead to large-scale destruction and even the extinction of the human species. So these are existential threats," Dr Swaminathan said.
However, she cautioned against viewing AI only through the lens of risk. The technology is also creating new opportunities in medical research and public health.
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AI can accelerate drug discovery and public health research
Dr Swaminathan said AI can help researchers analyse complex biological structures and large volumes of data, potentially speeding up drug discovery and development.
"AI is helping us to discover drugs much more because it's able to look at protein structures. It's able to read large amounts of data. And so it's shortening the time for drug discovery and development," she said.
AI can also be combined with satellite data to improve public-health monitoring and help researchers understand developments across regions and countries.
This dual potential, she suggested, underlines the importance of ensuring that emerging technologies are used responsibly while their benefits are harnessed.
What about the other 15 threats?
Beyond AI misuse and nuclear conflict, the Commission's list includes threats such as climate change, air pollution, obesity, antimicrobial resistance, unhealthy ageing and low educational attainment.
Dr Swaminathan said many of these challenges can be addressed through targeted interventions and stronger public-health systems.
"Climate change, like air pollution, like obesity, like antimicrobial resistance, unhealthy ageing these are all risks which are actually amenable to some kind of interventions," she said.
Antimicrobial resistance, in particular, threatens the effectiveness of treatments for infections and can complicate routine medical care, surgery and cancer treatment. Responsible antibiotic use, infection prevention and stronger surveillance are important parts of the response.
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Primary healthcare key to India's ageing challenge
With India facing the twin challenges of an ageing population and the health needs of younger generations, Dr Swaminathan emphasised the importance of strengthening primary healthcare.
She said primary healthcare is central not only to healthy ageing but also to protecting children and managing the health consequences of climate change.
"Whether it's ageing or whether it is young children, whether it is dealing with impacts of climate change on people's health, all of these have to be tackled at the primary healthcare level," she said.
She added that India has been investing in primary healthcare, which will be important in responding to these interconnected health challenges.
The broader message from the Commission is that these threats cannot be addressed in isolation. From cleaner air and responsible antibiotic use to the safe deployment of AI and stronger primary healthcare, coordinated action across governments, communities and the private sector will be essential to reducing their impact.
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