Extreme climate change induced summer heat events are a cause for concern, particularly for vulnerable groups of people, such as the poor, elderly and those who work outdoors. The occurrence of heat related illness and mortality is predicted to increase in the future. There is lack of evidence about the level of heat exposure outdoor street hawkers are subjected to. This group of informal workers constitute a large part of the self-employed workforce of many developing countries. Public health authorities in Zimbabwe, and many other developing countries in the tropics, need to prepare to cope with the future impacts heat waves could have on their population. Proactive public health approaches towards climate change effects have to be considered by public health professionals to influence policy, education and resource mobilization in an effort to prepare for future weather and climate change heath burdens. This study measured air temperature and humidity experienced by Zimbabwean street hawkers at their workplaces and homes to quantify their levels of heat exposure during the day, as well as at night. These data were used to assess potential health effects associated with heat during the summer of 2015.
