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Jump to Key Points The summer of 2026 brought 52 days of intense heat and unusually large wildfires, putting French hospitals under severe strain and exposing how ill-equipped many facilities are for climate extremes. As France heads into the autumn, hospital leaders say the challenges facing the health system are far from over.
“Hospitals once again held their ground and demonstrated their role as a last resort in times of crisis, but staff commitment is not an inexhaustible resource and must now be backed by structural financial support,” Arnaud Robinet, PhD, president of the French Hospital Federation (FHF), said during a September 8 press conference.
A Summer That Revealed System Weaknesses
Since May, authorities estimate that more than 7300 excess deaths in France have been linked to the heat. At the same press conference, Robinet detailed how hospitals had organized themselves to ensure continuity of care. “This summer, more than half of emergency departments saw an increase in activity,” noted Robinet. “To cope, 67% of general and university hospitals relied on overtime.” Hospital leaders say the pressure revealed how ill-equipped many facilities are for climate extremes.
Yann Penverne, MD, president of SAMU-Urgences de France, said the hospital system held up thanks largely to the mobilization of its teams. “Many professionals worked tirelessly, sometimes returning from leave or holidays to help reinforce overstretched services,” he said, describing the summer surge in emergency department activity.
- >7300 excess deaths linked to heat since May in France.
- >50% EDs ↑ activity; 67% hospitals used overtime to maintain care.
- Ward median temp reached 32 °C; extreme heat associated with ↑ mortality.
- SAMU/SMUR used ICU transfers + ultra-early cooling during heat surges.
- FHF seeks €1B/yr green fund + 3.9% funding rise for climate adaptation.
32 °C in Hospital Wards
Emergency medical teams, including SAMU/SMUR — France’s emergency medical response services — reported transferring patients to intensive care and using ultra-early cooling techniques that saved many lives. Staff also worked in difficult physical conditions. “The median temperature recorded in hospital wards this summer was 32 °C,” Penverne said. “When wards reach extreme temperatures, patient mortality rises.” That reality underscores how climate extremes can directly affect patient outcomes.
Hospital Infrastructure Built for Another Era
“Our hospital infrastructure was designed for the climate of 1980,” Robinet said. “The climate disruptions we once feared for 2050 are already here.”
To adapt, the FHF is calling for a dedicated €1 billion “green fund” per year starting in 2027, separate from France’s national health spending target. The money would help public hospitals and social care facilities (including nursing homes and other long-term care facilities) invest in thermal insulation, solar shading, ventilation, and low-carbon cooling systems.
This summer, the government released an emergency €100 million to buy cooling equipment such as air conditioners and fans. The FHF stresses that this is not a call to air-condition every space but to prioritize areas housing the most vulnerable patients.
New construction and major renovations should also integrate climate resilience from the design stage, Robinet said, so buildings remain functional for decades under hotter conditions.
Financial Barriers to Climate Adaptation
Adapting facilities requires investment capacity, but many hospitals are financially strained. The FHF reported public hospital deficits of about €3 billion in 2024 and €2.3 billion in 2025, which undermine their ability to invest and pay suppliers on time. That raises the risk that contractors may stop bidding for public hospital work if payments and financial visibility remain uncertain.
“Strengthening hospital finances is essential if facilities are to invest, recruit, and provide care under good conditions,” said Zaynab Riet, general delegate of the FHF. “At present, those conditions are far from guaranteed.”
The FHF is asking for a 3.9% increase in public hospital funding in next year’s social security and health budget bill, amounting to an additional €4.3 billion, including increases to cover a 3.2% rise in healthcare costs and 0.7% in pension-related contributions. It is also seeking additional funding for long-term care, particularly for nursing homes.
While these figures are presented in French budget terms, the broader point is global: Health systems need predictable, sustained funding to invest in climate adaptation, hire and retain staff, and maintain emergency capacity.
Several activity indicators are positive: The number of medical and surgical stays has increased by 10% in 2 years, while staff numbers have increased by 1.5%. Absenteeism has decreased from 11.1% in 2022 to 9.3% in 2025.
The FHF also repeated its call for a multiyear healthcare programming law that would move beyond successive annual budgets and give hospitals long-term visibility for funding, investments, and staffing plans, including climate adaptation measures. With national elections approaching, hospital leaders say long-term planning is essential to avoid repeated crisis-driven responses.
This story was translated and adapted from Medscape’s French Edition.
