Health care should evolve to accommodate a changing climate and an increased risk of associated diseases, officials said as they laid out a blueprint for future services.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention has identified six areas of climate-related concern as priorities in future planning for health services.
They include heat-related illnesses, heart and respiratory diseases and vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever and malaria.
Planning will also expand to include waterborne and foodborne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid and norovirus, as well as mental health concerns related to climate.
Scientists recorded 2024 as the hottest year on record, with global temperatures temporarily pushing past 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels and more humid, hotter days increasing the risk of heat exhaustion and strain on the heart and lungs.
Plans developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and health authorities aim to strengthen integration between health and environmental policies.
“As our climate changes, the risks to our health change with it,” said Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention.
“Heat, dust and extreme weather affect people’s health in very real ways. Our responsibility is to anticipate these risks and protect our communities before people fall ill.”
The plan brings together data, expertise and institutions to build early warning systems and prepare health services for the effects of climate-related events.
Planning is heavily focused on preventing climate-related diseases before they occur. Early heat and air-quality warnings will encourage people to take protective action before exposure leads to illness.
Future planning
Meanwhile, healthcare centres will be provided with resilient sources of medical goods and co-ordinated emergency plans, so essential care can continue during disruptions.
The Earth is warming at a rate of about 0.35°C to 0.4°C a decade. That is almost double the average rate of around 0.2°C a decade recorded between 1970 and 2015.
Poor air quality is a considerable risk factor for asthma and other respiratory conditions. Under the proposals, healthcare professionals will also be trained in preparation for more climate-related illnesses.
“This plan includes developing the skills of healthcare professionals, expanding specialised research, improving emergency preparedness and increasing the resilience of healthcare facilities,” said Dr Hussain Al Rand, assistant undersecretary for public health at the Ministry of Health and Prevention.
According to the Institute for Global Health, an estimated 62,775 heat-related deaths occurred across 32 European countries in 2024. In North America, there were more than 1,161 deaths related to record temperatures.
As the world warms, more vector-borne diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and other insects could place health systems under pressure, as hospitals respond to increased illness and hospital admissions.
In 2025, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recorded 4,000 deaths related to dengue and more than five million cases across more than 90 countries.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation said deaths related to malaria increased from about 598,000 in 2023 to 610,000 in 2024.
Dr Gopal Chawla, a consultant pulmonologist at NMC Royal Hospital DIP, Dubai, said the government plan showed climate change was an increasingly important public health challenge.
“I regularly see patients with asthma, COPD and other respiratory conditions whose symptoms worsen during dust storms, poor air quality and extreme weather,” he said.
“Beyond respiratory illnesses, changing temperatures and rainfall patterns can influence mosquito populations and the spread of vector-borne diseases. Predictive surveillance could help identify emerging hotspots, enabling earlier public health interventions.”
Dr Chawla said that by integrating environmental data, weather patterns, disease surveillance and individual clinical records, AI-driven models could help to identify vulnerable populations to anticipate health risks. For hospitals, that could mean better forecasts of patient admissions, resource allocation and emergency preparedness.
Dr Muhammed Aslam, a pulmonologist at the International Modern Hospital in Dubai, said healthcare professionals should give priority to prevention, early detection and public awareness alongside treatment.
“In respiratory care, that includes optimising asthma and COPD management, promoting vaccinations, educating patients about air-quality alerts and protecting vulnerable groups,” he said.
“Strengthening disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and healthcare infrastructure will help reduce preventable illnesses and ensure continuity of care during climate-related emergencies.”