Türkiye to identify climate-linked diseases under health action plan

ANKARA

Türkiye’s Health Ministry will prepare a comprehensive action plan to protect public health from the adverse effects of climate change, identifying climate-sensitive diseases, strengthening institutional capacity and coordination across sectors.

As part of the efforts, the ministry will establish a scientific advisory board on climate change to compile a list of climate-sensitive diseases. Informative materials such as brochures and posters will be prepared to raise awareness among vulnerable groups, while training programs will target both healthcare professionals and the general public.

Experts say the initiative comes at a crucial time, as rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns are increasingly affecting human health.

Research shows that heat stress can raise the risk of premature births by 16 percent and stillbirths by 46 percent, while climate-related diseases such as skin cancer, waterborne infections and respiratory illnesses are on the rise globally.

Professor Dr. Bülent Kılıç, head of a public health specialists association, said cardiovascular, respiratory and cancer cases have been increasing among the elderly during extreme heatwaves.

“High temperatures and air pollution are key factors behind this trend,” he told daily Milliyet, adding that diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks, such as malaria and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, are also expanding their range.

Associate Professor Nilüfer Aykaç, chair of a thoracic society’s lung health working group, warned that air pollution — described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “invisible killer” — causes over eight million deaths worldwide each year.

“Pollution affects almost every organ system and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes,” she said.

Allergist Professor Dr. Ümit Murat Şahiner highlighted that extreme weather events such as storms have also intensified pollen spread and worsened asthma control.

“We are now seeing allergies in regions where they did not previously exist,” he said.

Once completed, the Health Ministry’s climate-sensitive disease list will help map health risks across different regions in Türkiye.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) climate adaptation health expert Professor Dr. Didem Evci Kiraz, “This will allow Türkiye to measure the health impact of climate change in each city and contribute to global disease classification efforts led by the WHO.”

The plan also includes broader health initiatives: Nationwide screening for congenital heart diseases, expansion of cancer screening centers, programs on maternal and child health and campaigns promoting healthy diets and active lifestyles.