{"id":37142,"date":"2026-07-16T16:17:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T20:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/heat-deaths-are-not-inevitable-who-pushes-europe-to-heat-proof-its-hospitals\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T16:17:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T20:17:12","slug":"heat-deaths-are-not-inevitable-who-pushes-europe-to-heat-proof-its-hospitals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/heat-deaths-are-not-inevitable-who-pushes-europe-to-heat-proof-its-hospitals\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Heat deaths are not inevitable\u2019: WHO pushes Europe to heat\u2011proof its hospitals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Europe is the fastest-warming continent\u00a0on the planet, with temperatures rising at\u00a0approximately\u00a0twice\u00a0the global average, which is placing growing pressure on health systems, social care services and communities already facing more frequent and intense heatwaves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Data from five countries\u00a0already\u00a0shows\u00a0nearly 10,000\u00a0excess deaths<\/strong>\u00a0linked to the extreme heat\u00a0this summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The heat is on<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

WHO<\/a>\u00a0described extreme heat as\u00a0an urgent and\u00a0growing public health threat<\/strong>\u00a0that is expected to hit harder each year.\u00a0It\u00a0is driven by climate change and worsened by urbanization and population ageing, rapidly increasing illness and deaths.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur\u00a0region is the fastest-warming region globally.\u00a0In the past four years alone, heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives<\/strong>, while heat-related mortality has risen by 30 per cent over the past 20 years,\u201d\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He stressed that \u201cheat deaths are not inevitable\u201d because \u201cwe know how to protect people: warn communities early, make cities cooler, ensure access to water and shade, check on those most at risk and prepare health systems before temperatures peak.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a9 WHO\/Gilles Reboux<\/span>
\n An oncologist consults with a cancer patient at a hospital in Lyon, France. (file)<\/span><\/p>\n

Hospitals\u00a0feel the heat<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0new guidance<\/a>\u00a0will\u00a0help countries\u00a0to\u00a0strengthen Heat\u2013Health Action Plans (HHAPs), which connect weather alerts to public health measures such as outreach to people most at risk, cooling spaces, surge planning in hospitals and clear advice for the public.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n

WHO\u00a0underscored the need to build resilient health facilities. Heatwaves can overwhelm hospitals that may not be designed to cope with higher temperatures,\u00a0especially\u00a0as admissions rise.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is particularly the case in cities, where built-up areas trap heat and remain warmer than surrounding rural or suburban areas.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hospital\u00a0buildings\u00a0can\u00a0overheat, causing\u00a0power\u00a0supplies,\u00a0cooling systems as well as computers and tech\u00a0services\u00a0to fail.\u00a0Moreover, staff as well as patients\u00a0can become stressed and burned out due to the heat.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Romania\u2019s\u00a0\u2018cool\u2019\u00a0hospital<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

In Romania,\u00a0Buhu\u0219i\u00a0Hospital is adapting to meet the challenge.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0facility\u00a0has\u00a0established\u00a0a\u00a0designated cool space\u00a0for\u00a0people suffering from heatstroke<\/strong>, providing\u00a0cool water and\u00a0medical\u00a0staff\u00a0trained to\u00a0spot the early signs of heat exhaustion.\u00a0\u00a0Authorities have\u00a0also applied for funding to install a high-efficiency cooling system throughout the entire building.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Assessment,\u00a0investment\u00a0and readiness<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

WHO is supporting\u00a0such\u00a0efforts across Europe\u00a0through its Hospital Safety\u00a0Initiative\u00a0which uses\u00a0the Hospital Safety Index to assess whether health facilities are likely to remain operational during emergencies.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The index was traditionally used for hazards such as earthquakes and floods\u00a0but\u00a0is increasingly helping countries\u00a0to\u00a0identify\u00a0climate and weather risks, including extreme temperatures.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,\u00a0Poland\u00a0and Ukraine have conducted assessments and training with WHO support in recent years, helping authorities\u00a0prioritise\u00a0investments and improve readiness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

UK\u00a0takes action<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The United Kingdom\u00a0provides\u00a0another example of how Heat\u2013Health Action Plans can guide response.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The UK\u2019s Adverse Weather and Health Plan\u00a0uses\u00a0a\u00a0colour-coded alert system, developed with the\u00a0national\u00a0Met Office,\u00a0that\u00a0links each alert level to practical actions for health services, local authorities, community\u00a0groups\u00a0and the public.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In May, officials issued amber alerts in anticipation of record-breaking temperatures of 35.1\u00a0degrees Celsius.\u00a0\u00a0Red alerts were issued the following month, when parts of the country reached unprecedented temperatures of up to 37.7\u00b0C.\u00a0<\/p>\n

New guidance<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

WHO first published comprehensive guidance on HHAPs in 2008.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0new guidance<\/a>\u00a0sets out eight core elements for countries and local authorities, namely\u202fgovernance, heat warning systems, protection for populations at increased risk, communication, health system resilience, reducing heat exposure, surveillance, and monitoring,\u00a0evaluation\u00a0and learning.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It also\u00a0contains\u00a0five user action briefs for\u00a0key\u00a0sectors and a public health message bank with practical steps people can take to protect themselves and others.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Europe is the fastest-warming continent\u00a0on the planet, with temperatures rising at\u00a0approximately\u00a0twice\u00a0the global average, which is placing growing pressure on health systems, social care services and communities already facing more frequent and intense heatwaves.\u00a0 Data from five countries\u00a0already\u00a0shows\u00a0nearly 10,000\u00a0excess deaths\u00a0linked to the extreme heat\u00a0this summer.\u00a0 The heat is on\u00a0 WHO\u00a0described extreme heat as\u00a0an urgent and\u00a0growing public […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11611],"tags":[1179,7944,6642,18623,1802,26759,6130],"class_list":["post-37142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spyballoon-global-news","tag-deaths","tag-europe","tag-heat","tag-heatproof","tag-hospitals","tag-inevitable","tag-pushes"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",0,0,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",150,150,false],"medium":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",300,300,false],"large":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1024,1024,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1536,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",2048,2048,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",370,265,false],"kava-thumb-s":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",150,85,false],"kava-thumb-s-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",230,230,false],"kava-thumb-m":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",400,400,false],"kava-thumb-m-vertical":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",370,500,false],"kava-thumb-m-2":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",570,450,false],"kava-thumb-l":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1170,650,false],"kava-thumb-xl":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",1920,1080,false],"kava-thumb-masonry":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/image770x420cropped.jpg",600,999,false],"kava-thumb-justify":["https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Collections\/Embargoed\/2026\/06\/25-06-2026-Adobe-heatwave-Spain.jpg\/i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GLOBAL NEWS<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Europe is the fastest-warming continent\u00a0on the planet, with temperatures rising at\u00a0approximately\u00a0twice\u00a0the global average, which is placing growing pressure on health systems, social care services and communities already facing more frequent and intense heatwaves.\u00a0 Data from five countries\u00a0already\u00a0shows\u00a0nearly 10,000\u00a0excess deaths\u00a0linked to the extreme heat\u00a0this summer.\u00a0 The heat is on\u00a0 WHO\u00a0described extreme heat as\u00a0an urgent and\u00a0growing public…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37142"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37144,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37142\/revisions\/37144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}