Building Economic Resilience to the Health Impacts of Climate Change 2025

4 Retrofit health facilities for climate resilience and surge capacity Upgrading existing facilities using climate-adaptive design ensures that sites can withstand climate hazards such as extreme heat, extreme weather and flooding. These practices reduce the risk of building failures, ensuring continuity of care for patients, preventing injury and mortality, and reducing liability. In addition, expanding operational capacity through flexible-use spaces allows healthcare facilities to accommodate patient surges during climate-related health crises. 5 Scale up preventive healthcare for climate-related illness Expanding preventive care programmes targeting climate-sensitive conditions is essential as healthcare systems become increasingly strained due to the effects of climate change on population health. Prevention offers the most effective way to ease this pressure, reducing the high costs of treating more advanced conditions. Community health workers can provide education to the public on preventing climate-related illnesses through self-care pathways. Disease surveillance and screening for climate-sensitive illnesses enable early intervention for at-risk individuals. 6 Implement sustainable cooling solutions in healthcare facilities Installing or retrofitting air conditioning and passive cooling measures can reduce the risk of heat- related illnesses for patients and staff. Where possible, low-cost passive cooling measures (for example, natural ventilation, reflective roofing and tree shading) should be prioritized to reduce indoor temperatures and energy use.While air conditioning may be necessary in some settings, it should be deployed strategically. High-efficiency units should be used to minimize emissions and operating costs, and large-scale roll- out must consider the use of renewable energy to avoid excess greenhouse gas emissions. 7 Protect workers with equipment and training Health providers can consider targeted measures to safeguard workers essential to health supply chains and frontline patient care. PPE should be tailored to local climate-health hazards, and include cooling apparel and respirators/masks to lower infection risk. Employers should also offer targeted training to address emerging climate-related health threats like heat-related illness, vector-borne disease and respiratory issues related to air pollution . In particular, training workers involved in patient care ensures they can identify climate-health conditions quickly and respond effectively, improving care. 8 Implement comprehensive mental health support for practitioners As climate-related health crises intensify, frontline healthcare workers face rising mental health pressures. Employers must prioritize comprehensive support, including counselling services, peer support programmes and burnout prevention training, backed by regular monitoring of employee well-being. Proactively addressing stress, trauma and fatigue sustains practitioner well-being, reduces turnover and maintains quality of care during climate events. Expanding preventive care programmes targeting climate- sensitive conditions is essential as healthcare  systems become increasingly strained due to the effects of climate change. Building Economic Resilience to the Health Impacts of Climate Change 33