The story of the Sambhavna Clinic, a non-profit holistic health clinic in Bhopal, India, built to treat those injured by the Union Carbide toxic gas release in 1984. enlarge video
Climate Change: Protecting Health During Heat-waves
Every year many people, particularly the elderly, are badly affected by heat. It can trigger exhaustion, heart attacks or confusion and can make existing conditions such as cardiovascular or respiratory diseases worse.
Heat-waves of long duration and high intensity have the highest impact on mortality. In nine European cities analysed by the WHO/Europe’s EuroHEAT project (Athens, Barcelona, Budapest, London, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome and Valencia), the estimated increase in mortality during heat-waves ranged from 7.6% to 33.6%. The impact of prolonged heat-waves (more than four days) was 1.5–5 times that of short ones. The combined effect of heat-waves and of peaks of ozone or PM10 (particulate matter with diameter under 10 ?m) air pollution increases mortality, particularly among elderly people (those aged 75–84 years). The mortality increase due to the combined effect of heat and air pollution can be reduced by decreasing exposure to PM10 and ozone on hot days.
Heat-waves are projected to increase due to climate change, but their health effects are largely preventable. WHO/Europe’s information package with public health advice on heat-waves for the general public, medical professionals and health services has just been revised. Updates and additions address working environments and additional extreme events, such as vegetation fires.
The package is part of a wider portfolio on prevention, from health system preparedness coordinated with meteorological early warning systems, to timely public and medical advice and improvements to housing and urban planning. These actions can be integratedinto a heat–health action plan. Visit Heat-Health Action Plans and read the information package on public health response to heat-waves.
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