Climate Change and Emergency Health Care: Emerging Challenges and Responses in Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Climate change is a escalating global threat with significant impacts on acute health outcomes and emergency healthcare systems. This paper explores the emerging challenges from climate-driven events such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods in Mogadishu, Somalia. The study highlights how these events lead to increased emergency department visits due to heat-related illnesses, injuries, vector-borne diseases, and malnutrition. Key challenges include limited infrastructure, resource scarcity, and coordination gaps within emergency health services. Recommendations focus on building capacity, improving infrastructure, integrating early warning systems, incorporating climate policy, and engaging communities to enhance climate resilience in emergency care.