The German medical community has accused government general practitioners of failing to adequately protect citizens during this summer’s heatwave, following the high number of heat-related deaths. Nicola Buhlinger-Göpfarth, the chairwoman of the Association of General Practitioners, told the “Rheinische Post” that practically nothing had been achieved so far. She lamented that the issue had disappeared from the agenda as soon as autumn arrived and temperatures dropped.
Buhlinger-Göpfarth described the high death toll as “shocking, but unfortunately not really surprising,” stating that nearly 10,000 heat deaths in a single week in June were no longer a warning sign. Instead, she asserted that the emergency had already occurred.
She sharply criticized the systemic approach, noting, “In Germany, we are very good at discussing plans and express intentions. However, when it comes to concrete implementation, things quickly go silent. Heat protection is a perfect example of this.” While acknowledging that heat protection requires funding, she stressed that good intentions alone will not bring about change. “The federal government must react now and also allocate funds,” she insisted.
Furthermore, Buhlinger-Göpfarth highlighted the necessity of protecting residents in nursing homes, stating that health practices alone are insufficient. “Alongside general practitioner offices, especially nursing homes must be equipped to adequately protect their residents from the heat,” she added. “During our visits to these homes, we repeatedly observe that this is not the case in many places.”
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported that nearly 12,000 people in Germany had already died due to the effects of the heat this summer.
