*The Heat Effect — A Threat Multiplier and the Need for Inclusive Heat Action Plans* _"This article investigates the intensifying threat of climate change-induced heatwaves in India, in heat-related mortality and disability, with nearly 33,000 stroke-related deaths attributed to non-optimal temperatures in 2019. Drawing on recent studies, it reveals that heatwaves disproportionately burden vulnerable populations, particularly persons with disabilities, exacerbating health inequities and undermining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). The analysis highlights gender disparities, with stroke death rates due to temperature extremes higher in men (7.7 per 100,000) than women (5.9 per 100,000), and positions stroke as the third-leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019. Utilizing the “Four-Order Impact” framework, the article delineates the cascading consequences of heatwaves: immediate health deterioration, short-term livelihood losses, medium-term quality-of-life crises, and long-term impacts on life expectancy and DALYs. It critiques the inadequacy of current climate vulnerability assessments, like India’s Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI), for overlooking heatwave-specific risks and emphasizes the “Troika of Vulnerability” — climate change, inaccessibility, and disability — as a critical barrier to equitable resilience. The article advocates for an inclusive and universally accessible heat action plan, integrating disability-disaggregated data and climate-resilient healthcare infrastructure, to mitigate these multidimensional impacts and safeguard India’s developmental progress amid a silent yet deadly climate crisis."_ Authored by — Adv. Abhishek Kumar, Founder and Curator of The Sangyan | द संज्ञान and the ‘Build Forward Better’ Campaign https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sangyan_the-heat-effect-a-threat-multiplier-and-activity-7337398206307172352-uUxH?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADk1CJEBgvWjgJ5TrSz0EiA_L8jDGGufgPo