
Share
11th November 2021
02:11pm GMT

Dr Kyle Merritt/ Via Kootenay Medical Centre[/caption]
He continued: "She has diabetes and some heart failure… She lives in a trailer with no air conditioning.
"All of her health problems have been worsened and she's really struggling to stay hydrated."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC-vMSBWdvU
In June, British Columbia experienced enormous temperatures that led to the deaths of over 500 people. Then throughout July and August, wildfires caused air quality to become 43 times worse than acceptably safe.
The World Health Organisation estimates that over 150,000 deaths occur annually due to dramatic climate events.
"We're in the emergency department, we look after everybody, from the most privileged to the most vulnerable, from cradle to grave, we see everybody. And it's hard to see people, especially the most vulnerable people in our society, being affected. It's frustrating," Dr Merritt continued.
In response, the Doctors and Nurses for Planetary Health has been set up to address the intersection of medicine and climate change.
"This summer, our patients experienced extreme weather events of heat dome, drought, and severe wildfires," the group's website reads.
Explore more on these topics: