PARIS – The French healthcare system continues to face an extraordinary burden due to a wave of extreme heat that has affected a significant part of the country in recent days. While the situation at some emergency rooms has stabilized slightly, according to officials, the number of patients remains significantly above the normal average, and healthcare professionals are preparing for the possibility of another period of high temperatures.
The Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, stated during an appearance before the French Senate that the pressure on emergency rooms has eased somewhat in recent days, but their operations remain very busy. According to her, the high number of hospitalizations is mainly due to the worsening of chronic diseases, which are more common during extreme heat, especially among the elderly and other vulnerable groups. One of the most heavily burdened healthcare facilities is the Bichat hospital in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. The emergency room there recorded up to 370 patients in a single day during the peak of the heatwave, while under normal circumstances, it treats approximately 270 people in 24 hours. Even after the most intense phase subsided, the daily number of patients remains above 300, which represents a long-term strain on doctors, nurses, and other staff.
At the same time, the French meteorological services are warning that the country may face another wave of extreme weather in the coming days. The exact intensity and duration are not yet certain, but experts have not ruled out that high temperatures may persist for another five to ten days. Therefore, hospitals are continuing with extraordinary organizational measures. They are reinforcing services in emergency rooms, coordinating care for the most vulnerable patients, and urging the public to follow preventive recommendations. Doctors remind that during heatwaves, it is essential to drink enough water, avoid physical exertion during the hottest part of the day, and pay special attention to the elderly, children, and people with chronic illnesses.
According to the French newspaper L'Humanité, healthcare professionals are particularly concerned about the long-term exhaustion of staff. Repeated heatwaves in recent years, according to them, are increasingly revealing the limits of the healthcare system, which must respond not only to seasonal epidemics but also to the increasingly frequent impacts of climate extremes. The development of the situation will depend primarily on the further course of the weather. Healthcare authorities are therefore on alert and continuously assessing the capacity of hospitals to be prepared for a possible further increase in the number of patients.
humanite.fr / gnews.cz