Disaster preparedness of health systems in LMICs in the face of climate change: a systematic mapping review of vulnerabilities and response strategies

Description

Kaylin Morris, Atena Pasha, Xiaoming Li, and Shan Qiao map how health systems in poorer countries prepare for climate-driven disasters, in a 2025 review. Floods, storms, and droughts are growing stronger, and health systems with thin infrastructure and staff shortages suffer most. The team searched four databases for studies on disaster readiness in low- and middle-income countries.

Of more than five hundred records, twenty studies qualified. Preparedness rested on five common parts: trained staff, sturdy facilities, ready supplies, working communication, and coordination with partners. Some systems showed smart adaptations, such as backup resources and joint response plans. Most, though, had lasting gaps in training, policy follow-through, and resilience. The authors call for investment in people, buildings, and shared emergency plans. Stronger systems, they argue, are a frontline climate defense for the patients who depend on them.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC12817406