The Health Ministry on Tuesday asked states and union territories to share daily surveillance reports of heat-related illnesses starting March 1, 2023. Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan requested the authorities concerned to disseminate guidelines for the national action plan on heat-related illnesses to all districts. Moreover, hospitals have been directed to keep adequate essential medicines, intravenous fluids, ice packs, and ORS ready, while ensuring an uninterrupted supply of electricity. Additionally, all health facilities have been asked to regularly update the department on deaths due to heat.
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐
โThe initiative under the national programme on climate change and human health will be conducted on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). Ensure that all health facilities continue to keep line lists of cases and deaths. State, districts and city health departments should ensure the implementation of heat-related health action plans and support in planning, mapping and assessing response to heat along with the responding agencies,โ said Bhushan in a communication to the state government.
Bhushan has directed all hospitals to ensure uninterrupted electricity for the constant functioning of cooling appliances, along with the installation of solar panels and the implementation of energy conservation measures to reduce indoor heat. In addition, rainwater harvesting and recycling plants are also being explored for self-sufficiency in water.
๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐, ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐ช ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐
โStates may also utilise community-level awareness materials regarding the precautions to be taken to safeguard oneself against heat waves. The public health advisory mentioning Do's and Don'ts prepared by NCDC could be used as a template and customised to suit local needs,โ the advisory read.
Senior health officials from the state and civic health department said they have passed on the circular to each district, directing them to follow the instructions issued by the Health Ministry. Moreover, they also directed all the district health officers to keep a close watch on heat-related illnesses considering the temperature will increase the in coming days and cases will also increase.
๐๐ผ๐ & ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป'๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐
Stay hydrated
Stay covered
Stay alert in terms of local weather news
Stay indoors as much as possible
Avoid getting out in the sun, especially 12.00noon & 3.00pm
Avoid strenuous activities when outside in the afternoon
Do not go out barefoot
Avoid cooking during peak summer hours
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here.ย ย To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
