Climate change is coming for hospitals

Climate change is increasingly threatening hospitals worldwide, with a 41% rise in the risk of damage between 1990 and 2020. Recent incidents in the United States, like hospital closures due to extreme weather events, highlight this growing trend. The risk extends globally, with thousands of health care facilities struggling under climate change effects, a situation expected to worsen as extreme weather events become more frequent. Hospitals in low-lying coastal areas, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, are particularly vulnerable. The impact of climate change on hospitals includes flooding, fires, and cyclones, with projections indicating that one in 12 hospitals worldwide could face shutdown by the end of the century. Extreme heatwaves are also straining healthcare systems, leading to increased demand for care. To address these challenges, hospitals need to implement climate-resilient measures tailored to their specific needs, as demonstrated by initiatives in countries like Vietnam. As climate change continues to pose risks to healthcare infrastructure and services, proactive planning for climate resilience is crucial to ensure continued access to healthcare in a changing environment.