WHO
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced this.
He
emphasized that currently, more than 150 million people in Europe are living
under the impact of severe heatwaves. Due to high temperatures, hundreds of
people have lost their lives, schools have been temporarily closed in some
countries, and power grids are operating under excessive overload.
The head
of WHO noted that due to climate change and global warming, severe heatwaves
that were previously observed once in a generation are now recurring almost
every year.
According
to data, more than 1,300 excess deaths associated with high temperatures have
been recorded in Europe since June 21.
The World
Health Organization referred to heat stress as a "silent killer" and
highlighted that homes, workplaces, and educational institutions in European
nations are not adapted to such high temperatures.
The
organization is working in cooperation with member states and partners to
reduce the health risks of extreme heat, strengthen the preparedness of
healthcare systems, and improve preventive measures.
Furthermore,
European countries are recommended to develop and implement specialized
"heat-health action plans" aimed at protecting public health from the
impacts of climate change.
