WA doctors call for less gas, stronger health system to beat killer heat

WA doctors want the state government to prepare the health system for the effects of climate change and stop approving high-emissions gas projects.

At the tail end of a hot November that felt like February Doctors for the Environment Australia is pointing to new data showing an explosion in heat-related hospitalisations.

A heatwave can increase hospital admissions by ten per cent – in a system with negligible spare capacity.

Spokesman Tim Leahy said Australia had more than 9000 hospitalisations due to extreme weather over the past decade, equivalent to filling Royal Perth Hospital 20 times.

“Over this period 700 Australians died directly from heatwaves,” he said.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report identified 267 hospitalisations from extreme heat and 42 due to bushfires in WA in the two years to June 2022.

A 36-week pregnant patient of Leahy’s collapsed during last week’s heat wave and had to go to hospital.

Leahy said hospitalisations usually increase by about 10 per cent in a heat wave.

“We don’t have a spare 10 per cent in the system,” he said.

The Mt Lawley GP said the most vulnerable in the community were most affected.

“We’re driving towards the fire with a bunch of older people, younger and frail people, and we need to change the direction of the bus.”

Perth’s average maximum temperature in November is 26.6 degrees but this year, in the first 26 days, the average maximum was 30.7 degrees. Half the days exceeded 30 degrees, and five were more than 35 degrees.

Dr George Crisp, a Shenton Park GP who also teaches UWA medical students about the health effects of climate change and air pollution, said excessive heat can cause normally well-managed health conditions to deteriorate rapidly.

Heat impacts health more when combined with high humidity that stops sweat from evaporating to cool the body. Crisp said long-term temperature increases of just a few degrees could make places like Darwin unlivable at times.

An increased likelihood of bushfires in a drier, hotter climate will expose more people to smoke for longer.

Crisp, also a DEA member, said an added benefit of climate action is that many measures also had near-term health benefits, such as improved diet, more green space in cities, cleaner air and less traffic congestion.

If you’re not worried about what’s going to happen, I don’t think you’re paying attention.

Dr George Crisp, Doctors for the Environment Australia

Leahy said the physical health effects of climate change were just part of the story: families that suffer bushfires are traumatised, and many young people are stressed and feel they are being ignored.

“As a father, I’m worried about the future of my two sons,” he said.

“Because of the heating that’s already here, I fear about the impact on my old mother.”

The doctors have timed their call with the expected introduction into state parliament on Tuesday of a climate change bill that has been criticised for lacking a 2030 emissions target, unlike the federal government and other states.

“We don’t believe it’s feasible to use long-term targets to achieve short-term changes,” Crisp said.

“If you’re not worried about what’s going to happen, I don’t think you’re paying attention,” he said.