Westphalia-Lippe Medical Association calls for binding heat protection measures after record temperatures put hospitals, medical practices and patients under growing pressure
Germany's healthcare infrastructure must be better prepared for prolonged heatwaves and other extreme weather events, the Westphalia-Lippe Medical Association (ÄKWL) has warned following one of the hottest summers since weather records began. The association is calling for measures to be put in place before temperatures rise again next year, arguing that climate adaptation is increasingly becoming a prerequisite for reliable medical care.
North Rhine-Westphalia experienced 20 days with temperatures of at least 30°C during the summer of 2026 and five days reaching at least 35°C, according to the German Weather Service. Both figures set new state records, while the highest temperature recorded was 40.2°C.
“After the heatwave is before the heatwave. We must now implement the necessary measures before the next period of extreme heat,” said ÄKWL President Dr Hans-Albert Gehle.
Hospitals face growing pressure from extreme temperatures
The association argues that climate change must increasingly be incorporated into long-term planning for a healthcare system capable of remaining operational during crises. Heat is not the only concern, with other forms of extreme weather also expected to place greater demands on medical infrastructure.
For hospitals, the immediate challenge is maintaining safe conditions for patients and healthcare workers when high temperatures persist for days or weeks. During this summer's heatwaves, overheated treatment rooms and patient wards placed additional strain on patients, doctors, nurses and medical assistants.
“Climate adaptation is therefore increasingly becoming a prerequisite for reliable medical care,” Gehle said.
North Rhine-Westphalia is responding with additional investment. The state plans to provide €200 million between 2027 and 2029 for air-conditioning and related measures in hospitals included in its official hospital plan.
Funding is expected to cover cooling and shading in particularly heat-sensitive areas, including intensive care units, delivery rooms, emergency departments, operating theatres and hospital wards. The medical association is calling for the programmes to be implemented quickly and with minimal bureaucracy.
€1.52 billion could support hospital climate adaptation
The new funding forms part of a broader programme of investment. Since 2023, one third of individual hospital investment funding in North Rhine-Westphalia has been earmarked for climate adaptation measures, with similar provisions included in the country's hospital transformation funding framework.
By 2035, around €1.52 billion could consequently be available for climate adaptation measures in hospitals across North Rhine-Westphalia.
For Gehle, making hospitals more resilient also contributes to climate protection. Investments that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions can simultaneously improve the ability of healthcare facilities to cope with increasingly frequent periods of extreme heat.
Medical practices also need protection
The association warns that climate resilience cannot stop at hospital doors. Outpatient practices and medical care centres also need access to funding that enables investment in shading, ventilation, cooling and energy-efficient refurbishment.
This is particularly important because outpatient facilities form a crucial part of Germany's healthcare capacity. If treatment rooms become too hot to operate safely, practices could be forced to reduce services precisely when vulnerable patients may require additional medical attention.
“It cannot be compatible with a resilient healthcare system if a medical practice has to restrict its treatment capacity or, in extreme cases, close because conditions in the building no longer permit safe operation during periods of intense heat,” Gehle said.
Cities urged to prepare heat action plans
The medical association is also calling for stronger heat protection outside healthcare facilities. Municipalities should establish comprehensive heat action plans, provide easily accessible cool spaces and public drinking-water fountains, and develop reliable warning and information systems.
Particular attention should be paid to vulnerable people living alone, who may otherwise be difficult to reach during periods of extreme heat.
North Rhine-Westphalia is planning a model involving municipal heat-health managers who would identify people at particular risk and establish local support networks. The association considers the initiative a potentially important step towards more systematic protection.
For Gehle, the experience of the record summer demonstrates that climate resilience is becoming an essential component of healthcare planning.
“We must make healthcare as a whole more resilient to the consequences of climate change. Climate adaptation increasingly determines whether medical care can continue to be provided safely during prolonged periods of heat or other extreme weather. A crisis-resistant healthcare system is an essential public service – and it must function even during extreme weather.”
Image Credit: © AI generated illustration
