1st Meeting of the Project: Improving Public Health Responses to Extreme Weather/Heat-waves - EuroHEAT

EuroHEAT, a DG SANCO co-funded project, aims to improve public health responses to weather extremes, and to heat-waves in particular. As coordinator of the project, the WHO Regional Office for Europe organized an expert meeting in Rome to inform participants of the current status in the area and the project, to discuss the various work packages and phases, to discuss which climate information is necessary for public health and to develop an outreach and communication plan for the project. The project's activities are organized into nine work packages, under the overall topics of assessing the evidence for the health impacts of extreme weather, developing climate forecasts, detecting early health impacts and developing actions to prevent health impacts.

The participants identified the need to use results and scientific information from the project work packages to:

• develop a minimum set of requirements for heat-health warning systems that Member States can use as guidance;
• compile guidance on the best practice for the treatment of heat stroke patients; and
• develop guidance for public advice and information materials.

Collaboration with country advisers is essential to achieve these results. The next EuroHEAT meeting is planned for 18 and 19 May 2006 in Budapest and will be organized jointly by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the National Institute of Environmental Health in Budapest, Hungary.