Teaching Hospitals: The Missing Link in Pakistan's Heatwave Response

Abstract

Pakistan faces a significant public health threat from recurring heatwaves, and teaching hospitals are often unprepared to handle affected patients. This article highlights the critical role of teaching hospitals as central points for integrating heatwave management through community engagement, workforce training, supervision, and clinical care. It also incorporates a 5-domain framework covering infrastructure development, medical staff training, surveillance and early warning systems, and community outreach. Local interventions show that these strategies are cost-effective, and the presence of trained staff and organized systems at hospitals greatly reduces heatwave-related mortality. Implementing this framework aligns with national guidelines and will transform teaching hospitals from passive facilities into proactive centers capable of effective response and timely patient care.