With the arrival, and above all the permanence, of extreme temperatures in many Italian cities, the Ministry of Health has activated an interinstitutional coordination table to systematically face the hot emergency. Instanded on July 4, 2025 and foreseen by the ministerial decree of the previous day, the body has the aim of strengthening the prevention and surveillance of the effects of heat waves on health, with particular attention to fragile subjects and exposed workers.
The new table, established within the Department of Prevention, Research and Health Emergencies, is chaired by the doctor Maria Rosaria Campitiello and involves representatives of the Ministry of Health, Civil Protection, of the epidemiological department of the Lazio Region and Inail. The coordination body integrates health, environmental and civil protection skills, and will be the reference point for monitoring and intervention in the event of health critical issues related to extreme heat.
Among its main functions, to activate the national forecasting system and alert for heat waves, the “Heat Health Watch Warning System“, An already operational tool that allows you to calibrate interventions according to the levels of weather risk.
Growing numbers and new needs
The data collected in recent weeks are clear: calls to Number of public utility 1500 They increased by 40% compared to 2024. In the emergency room, some health facilities have already activated specific paths to deal with cases of dehydration and other problems related to heat, as confirmed by the same Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci.
One of the most delicate fronts is that of health protection in employment contexts. Inail has been called to collaborate to identify effective preventive measures for outdoor workers, such as farmers, construction workers or logistics workers. The episodes of recent deaths – such as those of a worker in the frustinate and a farmer in the Syracusan – demonstrate the urgent need of adequate protections in the workplace.
Communication and information: spot and vademecum
The Anti -Antalland Plan is not limited to institutional coordination. An intensification of communication campaigns to the population is expected, with particular attention to the most vulnerable subjects. A decalogue with practical advice will be distributed in the pharmacy and medical studies, also available in English. In addition, an information spot – with the well -known face of Carlo Conti as a testimonial – was made to raise awareness of the correct behaviors to be adopted on the hottest days.
The Sis118 (Italian Society System 118) has spread a vademecum that recommends avoiding direct exposure to the sun between 11.30 and 17, wet frequently the neck, air conditioning vehicles, wearing light clothes and consuming a lot of fruit and vegetables. “Nobody can be said to be safe. A few common sense rules can make a difference,” he told Ansa Mario Balzanellipresident of SIS118.
A plan for the future
The Ministry has announced that the so -called Plan will join the national prevention plan and the “Prevention Hub” permanently, thus transforming itself from an emergency intervention to permanent device. This integrated approach, which includes monitoring, prevention, communication and protection of workers, is part of the wider strategies of Health adaptation to climate change.
An increasingly difficult summer to face
Italy, as confirmed by the data of the ISPRA, has experienced in 2024 the hottest year in its history, with an average temperature of +1.33 ° C compared to the historical average. The Mediterranean, in the same year, recorded an average increase of +1.24 ° C. Climate projections make it probable that extreme heat phenomena become increasingly frequent, with serious consequences not only for human health.
