WHO urges stronger health preparedness as El Niño raises global risks

Tuesday 22 September 2026 - 21:38

By: Azzat Manal

WHO urges stronger health preparedness as El Niño raises global risks

The World Health Organization is urging governments to strengthen health preparedness as the latest El Niño episode raises concerns about a range of potential health consequences, particularly in regions already facing food insecurity, climate-related disasters and humanitarian crises.

The climate phenomenon is expected to reach its peak toward the end of the year, giving authorities an opportunity to reinforce health systems before weather-related hazards translate into emergencies. WHO officials have stressed the importance of acting in advance rather than waiting for outbreaks, extreme weather events or disruptions to healthcare services to intensify.

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern linked to unusually warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific. Its influence can extend far beyond the Pacific, affecting rainfall, temperatures and weather conditions in different parts of the world. These changes can have significant implications for public health, depending on local vulnerabilities and the strength and duration of the event.

According to WHO, preparations should include strengthening disease surveillance, maintaining continuity of essential healthcare services and ensuring that vulnerable areas have sufficient supplies of medicines and medical equipment. Early planning can also help health authorities respond more effectively to sudden increases in demand caused by extreme weather or infectious disease outbreaks.

The potential health impacts are varied. Prolonged heat and drought can worsen existing health conditions and increase risks associated with dehydration and heat-related illness. Wildfires and deteriorating air quality can also create additional respiratory and cardiovascular risks, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Heavy rainfall and flooding present a different set of challenges. Flooding can damage healthcare infrastructure, interrupt access to medical services and contaminate water supplies. In areas with inadequate sanitation systems, such conditions can increase the risk of waterborne diseases, including cholera.

Changes in rainfall and temperature can also influence the distribution and abundance of mosquitoes and other disease vectors. Depending on local conditions, this could affect the transmission of diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya and potentially expose populations in areas that have previously experienced lower levels of transmission.

The risks are not expected to be distributed evenly. Communities with limited access to healthcare, inadequate infrastructure or existing humanitarian needs may be particularly exposed. Food insecurity, displacement, conflict and climate-related emergencies can overlap, creating additional pressure on already fragile health systems.

WHO has highlighted the importance of identifying these vulnerabilities in advance and adapting preparedness measures to local conditions. More than 150 million people are currently affected by acute food insecurity, according to figures cited by the organization, increasing concerns about the potential consequences of additional climate-related disruptions in vulnerable regions.

The health warning comes as meteorological authorities monitor what could become an unusually strong El Niño event. The World Meteorological Organization has emphasized that the effects of the phenomenon can continue even after its peak intensity has passed, meaning that governments may need to maintain preparedness measures for an extended period.

The current situation is also unfolding against a backdrop of long-term global warming. El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon, but it occurs within a climate system that has been significantly altered by human-driven greenhouse gas emissions. The combination can complicate efforts to assess and manage extreme heat, heavy rainfall and other weather-related hazards.

For this reason, closer cooperation between meteorological and public health authorities is becoming increasingly important. Climate forecasts can provide valuable advance information that allows health services to prepare personnel, medicines, equipment and emergency facilities before dangerous conditions arrive.

WHO and its international partners are therefore encouraging countries to make greater use of early-warning systems and climate information in public health planning. The objective is to turn forecasts into practical measures capable of protecting populations, maintaining essential healthcare services and reducing the likelihood that climate-related hazards will develop into major health emergencies.