Emergency health services are extremely vulnerable to climate change

The world finds itself in the clutches of a silent, but potent, enemy — climate change. In a sobering revelation, international voices in emergency medicine have raised the red flag regarding the potentially devastating effects of climate change on our global emergency health services.

The key concern, however, is that many nations are sailing blind, with scant assessments of the imminent impact or adequate strategies in place to combat this brewing storm.

Urgent findings

At the European Emergency Medicine Congress (EUSEM Congress), Luis Garcia Castrillo, a now-retired professor in emergency medicine from the Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain, revealed alarming findings from a global survey on climate change awareness and preparedness.

This research, to be published in the European Journal of Emergency Medicine, was a collaborative effort carried out by the EUSEM’s Emergency Medicine Day working group.

Climate change vs. emergency care

“On a scale of 0 to 9, they rated the severity of the impact of climate change on health systems and specifically on emergency care, both now and in the future, at an average of 7,” Luis Garcia Castrillo said.

“This is a high figure, especially as some regions, such as northern Europe, consider it to be less of a problem than do other countries, such as Australia. The focus groups considered that the impact of climate change on emergency medical services would be similar or even higher than on global health systems,” Castrillo continued.

However, only 21% of the focus group members reported that assessments of the effect of climate change on emergency medical services had been carried out, and only 38% reported any measures had been taken to prepare for the impact of climate change.

Negligent governance

“Out of all the focus group respondents, 62% said their governments or policy makers had made no assessment of the impact of climate change on emergency services, 9% said they didn’t know, 55% said nothing had been done to prepare for the impact of climate change, and 10% didn’t know,” noted Luis Garcia Castrillo.

This lack of awareness prevails not only among countries but also within emergency medicine societies.

Climate change’s impact on emergency medicine

“One interesting finding is that the need to implement actions to mitigate climate change is considered important everywhere,” said Dr. Roberta Petrino, the director of the Emergency Department at Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland and co-author of the report.

In particular, their survey showed the need to strengthen emergency medicine services and education programs for medical students and emergency medicine doctors, as well as research.

Emergency medical professionals are very worried about the effects of climate change on the care they provide.

“Our report shows that colleagues feel it’s an important problem around the world, although specific issues vary from one region to another and these relate to geographical position, the economic situation and the types of risks,” Dr. Petrino explained.

Specific concerns, however, vary geographically and economically.

Varying global perceptions

Across all focus groups, pollution, flooding, and heatwaves were identified as the top risks. Amidst these adversities, an increase in the demand for emergency medical services is expected.

Strategic planning and education were ranked as crucial measures to alleviate these problems.

Focus groups from wealthier countries expressed concern about heatwaves, cold spells, and wildfires.

Meanwhile, those from lower to middle-income countries are more troubled by the impact of climate change on food production and health services disruption.

Terrifying predictions

An analysis of the data highlighted Australasia, Eastern Europe, South Asia, South Saharan Africa, and Central America as areas expecting the highest impact from climate change.

The WorldRiskIndex, which assesses risk of extreme natural events and climate change, revealed an increase demand for emergency medical services and supply disruption proportional to increasing risk.

As record-breaking temperatures continue to dominate headlines, the world faces a climate change emergency. Equally, our medical services are at risk.

The European Society of Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) urges nations to implement mitigation plans to combat the impact of climate change on our services.

Bridging the knowledge gap

Addressing the challenges posed by climate change to emergency services demands bridging the knowledge gap between scientific understanding and practical applications.

Training programs for emergency personnel need to incorporate climate impact assessments, equipping them with the skills necessary to respond efficiently to climate-induced emergencies.

This approach not only increases resilience within communities but also ensures a systematic response, minimizing potential disruptions to emergency services.

Safeguarding emergency services from climate

In light of the critical findings presented by the European Emergency Medicine Congress and the WorldRiskIndex, a comprehensive and collaborative global strategy is imperative.

Policymakers, health organizations, and emergency service providers must unite to develop actionable plans.

These plans should focus on bolstering infrastructure, enhancing risk communication, and promoting adaptive capacities in both urban and rural settings.

By doing so, the global community can mitigate the impending risks of climate change and safeguard emergency medical services for future generations.

Climate change poses a daunting challenge to emergency medical services across the globe. With it comes an urgent call to action for more comprehensive assessments, strategic planning, and extensive education.

This journey must be navigated together, as climate change remains a shared global responsibility.

The study is published in the journal European Journal of Emergency Medicine.

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