WHO Europe chief calls on governments to treat extreme heat as a ‘health crisis’

With temperatures soaring across Europe, WHO Europe chief Hans Kluge has called on governments to recognise extreme heat as a health crisis and strengthen health system preparedness. The heatwave, which has claimed thousands of lives across Europe, has exposed the need for health systems to better prepare for extreme temperatures. As temperatures topped 40°C in parts of the continent, emergency calls increased, hospitals treated more patients with heat-related illnesses, and older adults and people with chronic conditions faced heightened risks. "Recognise extreme heat as a health crisis and act before temperatures peak," Kluge wrote in a post on X on Monday. "Heat preparedness must be operational: freeing beds, protecting high-risk patients, securing cooling, checking backup power and supporting health workers," he added. The heat has already put pressure on health services in several countries. In France, emergency rooms have reported a fourfold increase in heat-related conditions such as heatstroke, dehydration and hyponatremia. In the UK, the London Ambulance Service said the extreme heat contributed to its busiest day on record, responding to 8,869 emergency calls last Friday. Several NHS hospitals also declared critical incidents after cooling failures disrupted medical equipment, operating theatres and wards, adding pressure to services already managing heatstroke, dehydration and vulnerable elderly patients.