Climate change is increasingly being viewed through a healthcare lens as its impacts are felt not only in extreme weather but also through rising exposure to heat, poor air quality, climate-sensitive infectious diseases and disruptions to healthcare delivery.
In Asia, these challenges are intensified by a number of demographic and health trends that are already straining healthcare systems. Populations are ageing rapidly, chronic diseases are becoming more prevalent, and many healthcare system providers face growing demand alongside workforce shortages.
The convergence of these trends is creating new challenges for population health and healthcare systems. Extreme heat, in particular, is an increasing concern, especially for older adults and those with underlying health conditions. The implications extend beyond simply treating illnesses.
Growing climate-related health risks now require that stronger prevention, healthier populations and more resilient healthcare delivery will become increasingly important in helping Asian societies prepare for future health pressures.
In this interview, Kelvin Loh, Group Chief Healthcare Officer at AIA Group, discusses how climate change is reshaping health risks across Asia and why prevention needs to play a greater role in healthcare. He also explores how insurers, healthcare providers and other stakeholders can contribute to building more resilient health systems.
Healthcare systems across Asia are already facing multiple challenges. How do climate-related risks such as extreme heat, poor air quality and changing disease patterns add to the existing constraints?
Many healthcare systems across Asia are already under pressure from growing demand, ageing populations and workforce shortages. Climate-related health risks can certainly intensify these existing challenges.
For example, extreme heat can worsen cardiovascular, respiratory and kidney-related conditions, increasing demand for healthcare services. Poor air quality can contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular complications, while changing environmental conditions may influence the spread of diseases such as dengue and other vector-borne illnesses.
Climate-related events can also disrupt healthcare delivery itself. Severe weather can affect infrastructure, interrupt access to care and place additional pressure on already strained healthcare systems. As these risks become more frequent, healthcare systems will need to be increasingly resilient and adaptable while continuing to deliver quality care.
There is also a growing discussion about the importance of shifting from treatment to prevention in healthcare. From your perspective, why is investing in prevention and population health becoming more important as climate-related health risks intensify?
One lesson that has stayed with me throughout my medical career is that prevention is often more effective than treating a problem after it has occurred. That principle becomes even more important in the context of climate-related health risks. Many of the health impacts associated with climate change can be reduced when people understand the risks, maintain healthy lifestyles, manage existing health conditions well and seek help early when issues arise.
There is also a broader population health dimension. Communities with stronger baseline health are generally more resilient to external pressures, whether those come from extreme heat, poor air quality or infectious disease outbreaks.
At AIA, this philosophy underpins programmes such as AIA Vitality. We know many people understand that lifestyle plays an important role in their health, but often struggle to turn that awareness into action. Through personalised goals, behavioural incentives and ongoing engagement, AIA Vitality helps people make small, sustainable changes that can improve long-term health outcomes.
For me, resilience starts long before a crisis. Investing in prevention and public awareness today can help reduce the burden on healthcare systems tomorrow while strengthening long-term resilience.
AIA recently sponsored the Climate and Health in Asia report, which highlights customer engagement and preventive health as important areas where life and health insurers can contribute to healthier populations. How can initiatives that encourage better lifestyles, awareness and early intervention strengthen resilience to climate-related health risks?
One of the unique strengths of life and health insurers is that we engage people throughout their health journey, not only when they become ill.
Through health engagement programmes, preventive health initiatives and education, insurers can help people better understand and manage their health before more serious issues develop. This includes encouraging regular physical activity, preventive screening, healthier nutrition and better management of chronic conditions.
Programmes such as AIA Vitality demonstrate how insurers can contribute by encouraging preventive health behaviours and supporting healthier populations over the long term.
While these programmes were not developed specifically to address climate-related health risks, healthier individuals are generally better equipped to cope with a wide range of health challenges, including those influenced by environmental conditions.
Kelvin Loh, Group Chief Healthcare Officer, AIA. Image: AIA
One of the report’s key themes is the role insurers can play in supporting more resilient healthcare delivery systems. As Group Chief Healthcare Officer, where do you see the biggest opportunities to strengthen healthcare system resilience in Asia?
This is an area where I believe insurers can make meaningful contribution. Healthcare system resilience is not simply about increasing capacity. It is about ensuring healthcare systems can continue delivering accessible, affordable and quality care even as demands and risks evolve.
One significant opportunity lies in improving the way care is delivered. Across many healthcare systems, we continue to see fragmented patient journeys, rising healthcare costs and resource constraints. Improving care coordination and system efficiency can help create capacity and strengthen resilience over the long term.
At AIA, we have been investing in healthcare ecosystems and provider partnerships across our markets to help customers access quality care more efficiently. We believe insurers can play an important role in connecting customers, providers and healthcare services in ways that improve both health outcomes and customer experience.
We are also seeing growing opportunities through telemedicine, digital health and value-based care approaches that focus on better outcomes rather than simply higher volumes of treatment. These innovations can improve access, support continuity of care and help healthcare systems adapt to evolving health needs.
Research, partnerships and ecosystem collaboration are important enablers of climate-health resilience. Why is better climate-health data, stronger evidence and cross-sector collaboration crucial in helping societies prepare for future health risks?
Good decisions depend on good evidence. While awareness of the climate-health connection is growing, there is still much to learn about how different climate-related risks affect different populations and healthcare systems across Asia. Better data and stronger evidence can help identify emerging risks, improve preparedness and guide more targeted interventions.
At the same time, no single organisation can address these challenges alone. Researchers, healthcare providers, governments, businesses and insurers each bring different expertise and perspectives. By sharing knowledge and working together, stakeholders can better understand risks, develop more effective solutions and strengthen resilience across communities and healthcare systems. In many ways, climate and health is a systems challenge that requires a systems response.
Looking ahead, what actions do you think policymakers, healthcare leaders and businesses need to take to better prepare Asian societies for the health impacts of a changing climate?
One of the key messages from the Climate and Health in Asia report is that climate change and health should not be viewed as separate issues. The health impacts of climate change are already being felt across Asia, and they will increasingly influence the wellbeing of communities and the resilience of healthcare systems.
I hope policymakers, healthcare leaders and businesses come away with a greater appreciation of both the risks and the opportunities for action. The report highlights practical ways different stakeholders can contribute, whether through prevention, healthcare system resilience, research, partnerships or greater public awareness.
Most importantly, I hope it encourages greater collaboration. Building healthier and more climate-resilient societies will require contributions from many different stakeholders, and the earlier we act collectively, the better prepared we will be for the future.
