Hospitals across Europe are implementing new measures to cope with future heat waves, spurred by the recent record-breaking temperatures that strained emergency services and exposed vulnerabilities. The experience has highlighted the escalating impact of climate change on public health infrastructure.
At Paris-Saclay Hospital, emergency medics faced critical shortages of ice to treat patients suffering from heat exposure. The hospital had to rely on emergency supplies from a local fast-food restaurant and supermarkets. In response, the hospital has ordered its own ice-making machine. Dr. Nicolas Gonzales, head of the emergency department, described the influx of patients with heat-related issues like heart attacks, dehydration, and kidney malfunctions as a "big mountain" that lasted for seven days.
"Heat is a physical assault. It is a physical assault on the body," Gonzales stated. "And when the body can no longer adapt — or, unfortunately, is no longer able to fight off that assault — you don’t feel it coming, and the heart can stop beating."
Cédric Lussiez, director of Paris-Saclay Hospital, acknowledged that the hospital was not fully prepared for the intensity of the recent heat wave. "We thought we were ready. We were not actually," he said. The hospital operated 24 hours a day to find rapid solutions, and staff are now actively learning from the experience.
On a national level, the French government is investing in hospital preparedness. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a 100-million-euro ($114-million) fund to upgrade cooling systems in hospitals and other health facilities. The government is also purchasing 30,000 air-conditioning units, with initial deliveries expected soon.
"It's an absolute priority for us that, if the heat wave returns, the hospital situation be a lot less strained," Lecornu said.
The World Health Organization characterized the recent heat wave as a "dress rehearsal" for increasingly harsh summers ahead. The organization noted that Europe is warming at more than twice the global average and that heat waves are no longer isolated events. "Every summer we fail to prepare for them is a summer we pay for in lives."
Older hospitals within the Paris-Saclay group, which lack modern air-conditioning, were particularly challenged. Some wards experienced temperatures as high as 33 C (91 F) on exposed floors. Temporary measures were taken, including using electric fans and ice blocks to keep medicines from spoiling and recruiting student nurses to ensure patients remained hydrated.
In response to these challenges, Lussiez is overseeing urgent renovations, including equipping units with cool rooms and relocating an elderly care department to the newer hospital building. "We’ll be in a better situation next week than we were last week," he said.
The situation mirrors a broader concern across Europe, where intense heat events are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. Medical professionals are now viewing the fight against extreme heat as a new, year-round challenge, comparable to managing seasonal illnesses like influenza.