Impact of Climate Change on Vaccines and Cold Chain Management: A Public Health Perspective from the South-East Asia Region

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly disrupting vaccine cold chain systems, posing a critical challenge to global and regional immunization programs. Rising temperatures, floods, cyclones, power outages, and displacement events threaten vaccine potency, availability, and equitable access, particularly in South-East Asia, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. This paper explores the nexus between climate change and cold chain management, drawing on global and South-East Asian experiences, with a focus on India. It highlights how climate-induced disruptions undermine immunization services and intensify the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases. The analysis draws on experiences from the South East Asian region to illustrate specific risks, including heat-induced equipment breakdown, flood-damaged storage, and interrupted outreach. Importantly, the paper also reviews emerging strategies adopted by India for climate-resilient vaccine delivery including for real-time monitoring, solar-powered cold chain systems, digital platforms to track migrant populations, exploring innovative delivery systems such as drone and the introduction of new vaccines to reduce the VPD burden. India’s experiences demonstrate that strengthening cold chain resilience requires integrated approaches—combining technology, renewable energy, infrastructure redesign, and workforce capacity building. The paper concludes with a forward-looking roadmap, emphasizing regional collaboration, adaptation financing, and innovation in thermostable vaccines and AI-driven logistics. Safeguarding vaccine integrity in the era of climate change is not only essential for sustaining immunization gains but also central to building climate-resilient health systems for the future.