French Hospitals Scramble to Adapt as New Heatwave Approaches

French hospitals are scrambling to adapt as they brace for a new heatwave forecast for the middle of next week.

This follows a brutal heatwave of exceptional intensity that caused nearly 1,000 excess deaths in the country. Healthcare facilities came under severe strain, facing a sharp increase in admissions and equipment shortages.

"This week has been horrific for the entire hospital workforce," said Cédric Lussiez, director of the Paris Saclay hospital in Orsay. "We thought we were ready, but in reality we weren't."

The crisis exposed major weaknesses. Hospitals are now installing air conditioning, changing how medicines are stored to maintain low temperatures, and reorganizing departments exposed to high heat. Some facilities have even moved wards for older patients to new buildings.

Medical teams also improvised, diverting equipment like shower trolleys and bathtubs to treat severe hyperthermia cases, filling them with ice cubes.

The French government has announced €100 million in investment for the most exposed healthcare facilities and promised 30,000 air conditioners. The opposition Green party, however, calls the measures insufficient and too late, planning a motion of no confidence.