Colombia readies hospitals and health teams for El Niño's arrival

With El Niño officially declared, Colombia's health ministry and national health institute tightened hospital emergency plans and daily capacity reporting so clinics can respond before heat waves, wildfire smoke, and water shortages reach families. Health teams will track respiratory illness, mosquito-borne disease, malnutrition, and unsafe water, with special attention for children, older adults, pregnant women, and outdoor workers. Vaccination programs and environmental risk-monitoring rooms stay running throughout.