Extreme heat kills in Czechia too — but most victims never show up in the statistics

Heatwaves are claiming lives in Czechia as well, yet the vast majority of these deaths are never officially recorded as climate-related, warn doctors and representatives of the European Climate Pact.

Those hit hardest by heat are the elderly, young children, people with chronic illnesses, those taking certain medications, and outdoor workers. Low-income families are also at risk, since they have fewer resources to protect themselves from high temperatures. On top of that, heatwaves worsen air quality, extend pollen season, and help spread infections transmitted through water and food.

According to doctors, heat does more than cause sunstroke — it strains the heart, kidneys and brain, can trigger acute kidney injury, disrupts sleep and mental wellbeing, and complicates treatment for people on antibiotics or blood-pressure medication.

"Many people still think the worst that can happen from heat is sunstroke. In reality, it can determine whether a person survives to the next day," says Klára Matoušková, a physician, researcher and ambassador for the European Climate Pact who helped create an online educational course for medical professionals on how the environment affects health (klimatickazmenavordinaci.cz). She notes that the effects of heat are often masked as other conditions, with the elderly, children, the chronically ill and homeless people being the most vulnerable. "Extreme heat is no longer an exception — it's the new reality, and not just individuals and municipalities need to be prepared for it, but the healthcare system as a whole," she stresses.

The European Climate Pact recently unveiled an exhibition titled "Stories of Climate Crisis Victims," timed to coincide with Climate Week held in early June. Through the personal stories of people from Czechia and around the world, it illustrates how climate change affects health, housing, work and everyday life.

One of the featured stories belongs to Jasna Flámiková from Brno. Her 72-year-old mother died during the abnormally hot summer of 2018. Since then, extreme heat and how cities adapt to climate change have stopped being an abstract topic of expert debate for her — they've become a personal reminder that behind every statistic lies a real human life and a family left grieving the loss of someone dear.

"When people talk about the climate crisis, what usually comes up are numbers, charts or economic indicators — and few see anything concrete behind them. The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Global Climate Crisis reminds us of real people and their loved ones," notes Stanislava Tomková from the organization Na mysli, the national coordinator of the European Climate Pact in Czechia.

The exhibition, which was shown at the Scout Institute in Prague this spring, is now available for free loan to schools, libraries, towns, municipalities, government offices, cultural institutions and other organizations interested in the topic.

Read also: Brno: what to see and where to go

Around Prague, based on reporting by ekolist.cz