TW: Mentions domestic violence
Amidst the narrow, serpentine lanes of a Delhi slum, where the sun is more merciless than ever and the earth parched, a story unfolds—one that many will find difficult to digest, let alone live. I grew up in these sweltering corners, battling dyslexia, dyspraxia, and a stammer, while also being the lifeline for my chronically ill mother.
We’re survivors of domestic violence, yes, but we’re also survivors of a world that’s increasingly hostile, both socially and environmentally.
The Unspoken Calamity: When Environmental Disasters Unravel Lives
You may read about the heatwaves or monsoon floods, but do you feel them? Can you feel the droplets of sweat trickling down your spine as you frantically search for a drop of water? Can you sense the despair in the air, almost palpable, as you witness your mother’s health deteriorate with each passing minute?
Living through a Delhi heatwave, in a ramshackle home with no respite from the sweltering heat, feels like being trapped in an oven. The sun becomes an unforgiving enemy, and the air turns into a suffocating shroud. During one unbearable summer, our neighborhood faced an acute water crisis. Imagine being parched but having not a single drop to quench your thirst. Every gulp of air became a laborious act; each moment felt stretched to its limit.
My mother’s existing health issues were aggravated terribly. Dehydration ravaged her body, while her chronic ailments roared with newfound intensity. And as for me, the heatwaves weren’t just a meteorological event; they were a neurological and physiological catastrophe. My dyspraxia symptoms flared up, making everyday activities—like even lifting a glass of water—an exhausting battle.
An Odyssey Through a Broken Healthcare System
When you’re scrambling to save a loved one’s life while also grappling with disabilities, every second feels like a millennium. The journey to the hospital was a nightmare. Public hospitals were our only hope, but they were hellish, to say the least. Doctors and nurses did their best but were woefully under-equipped to handle the deluge of patients. Can you fathom the helplessness I felt when I stammered while trying to explain my mother’s rapidly worsening condition?
Time and again, I was met with impatient stares or pitiful glances, neither of which did anything to alleviate the dire situation we were in. The agony of being trapped in that atmosphere—where you’re just a number, a statistic—is indescribable.
The Dire Need for Climate-Resilient, Inclusive Healthcare
Here’s the gut-wrenching reality: if healthcare infrastructure continues to ignore the heightened vulnerabilities of people with disabilities, we’re not just failing as a society; we’re complicit in perpetuating suffering and loss.
Our healthcare systems need to be fortified with climate-resilient policies and infrastructures. Wheelchair ramps and Braille signage aren’t luxuries; they’re necessities. Doctors need training to understand the unique challenges that environmental disasters pose to individuals with disabilities. It’s not just about ramps and signs; it’s about creating a space where the most vulnerable can feel safe, especially when the world outside is falling apart.
The Human Stories: More Than Just Numbers
Statistics can be cold and detached, but stories like mine bleed with raw emotion. The vulnerability, the desperation, the feeling of being caught in an unending cycle of despair—they bring a certain urgency that numbers alone cannot.
A Final Plea
So here it is, a candid snapshot of what it’s like to live at this devastating intersection of disability and climate-induced healthcare challenges. It’s a cry from the depths of my soul and from the hearts of countless others, who, like my mother and me, are battling more than just social and economic disparities.
As we desperately seek solutions for climate change, let’s remember that the first step towards true climate justice is acknowledging and acting upon the exacerbated healthcare challenges faced by the disabled and vulnerable. Let’s strive to build healthcare ecosystems where no one is left to suffer, simply because of who they are or where they come from.
The battles we fight today go beyond us; they’re a plea to humanity to wake up, take notice, and act—before it’s too late.