Maternal Health in a Changing Climate: Strengthening Health Systems

May 2026

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health India Research Center hosted a webinar “Maternal Health in a Changing Climate: Strengthening Health Systems,” on May 14, 2026.

This was the third session in our webinar series, “Climate Change and Health: Science, Policy and Public Health in Action,” aimed at strengthening public health responses in India in the context of a changing climate.

The discussion began with opening remarks and context setting by Dr. Swati Bakshi, Deputy Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring esteemed experts and thought leaders in the field:

• Dr. Caleb Dresser, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 
• Ms. Mirai Chatterjee, Director, SEWA Social Security, Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)
• Dr. Sreevatsan Raghavan, Project Manager, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI)

The session was moderated by Dr. Shruthi Mahalingaiah, Mark and Catherine Winkler Associate Professor of Environmental Reproductive and Women’s Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The session brought together more than 200 participants globally, including policymakers, public health professionals, researchers, civil society organizations, and academic institutions.

The discussion focused on how climate change is intensifying maternal and neonatal health risks through environmental exposure, physiological vulnerability, and disruptions to essential services. Speakers highlighted that the effects of extreme heat, air pollution, flooding, and food and water insecurity are shaped not only by clinical factors, but also by occupational conditions, maternity protection, housing security, income stability, and timely access to care. These risks were discussed as especially pronounced among informal women workers, migrant populations, and low-resource communities, where climate vulnerability intersects with broader social and economic inequities.

Speakers emphasized that to achieve a climate-resilient health system, preparedness must be embedded within routine antenatal care, frontline workforce capacity, continuum of care, health surveillance, and risk communication systems. The session also highlighted that strengthening maternal and neonatal health outcomes will require broader measures across social protection, food systems resilience, cooling infrastructure, labour protections, urban planning, and disaster preparedness.

The webinar series continues to provide a platform for examining how integrated adaptation measures and multisectoral strategies can strengthen resilient, evidence-based public health responses to climate-driven health risks.