Heatwave in north India: Centre to send teams to UP, Bihar to address related illnesses

The decision was taken following a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the national capital on Tuesday.

New Delhi:The Union Health Ministry will send a team of experts to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to support state administration in public health response measures to address heat-related illnesses.

The decision was taken following a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the national capital on Tuesday. A government official said that the team would comprise representatives from the Union Health Ministry, ICMR, IMD and NDMA. Admitting the importance of sturdy and timely preparedness through awareness and early actions, Mandaviya also directed ICMR to conduct research on how to minimise the effect of heat waves on health, with specific short, medium and long-term action plans.

The Health Minister stated that the Centre has taken timely measures ahead of the summer season to address heatwave-related illnesses. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review preparedness ahead of the summer season in March while the Union Health Ministry issued a heat wave advisory in February where states were advised to review health facility preparedness in terms of essential medicines, intravenous fluids, packs, ORS, drinking water as well as dissemination of necessary IEC materials.

“The National Action Plan on heat-related illnesses was also shared with all states,” he said. During the meeting, Mandaviya was briefed on the status of heat waves in various states and about the preparedness of central agencies in terms of the availability of required supplies and hospital infrastructure to provide timely and effective healthcare services.

“Sensitization of masses is important, but sensitization and capacity building of medical officers, health staff, and grass-root level workers on heat-related illness, its early recognition and management is also important,” Mandaviya said. He urged states and central agencies to enhance awareness among people regarding preventive measures through multi-media IEC campaigns.

The Union Health Minister asked IMD to issue daily weather forecasts in a manner which can be easily interpreted and disseminated. It was also apprised that daily surveillance on heat-related illness under National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has been ensured in all states and districts on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) and all the health facilities have been asked to participate using P-form level login.

The National Action Plan on heat-related illness prepared by MoHFW released in July 2021 outlines Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for surveillance of heat stroke cases and deaths with a preparedness plan before and during the summer season.

In it, there is special emphasis on heat-related illnesses (HRI) in the elderly, infants and children, pregnant women, outdoor and manual workers, and other vulnerable sections. Under this Action Plan, States are advised to increase resilience to extreme heat at health facilities level by arranging uninterrupted electric supply, installation of solar panels and adopting measures to reduce indoor heat through measures of cool/green roof, window shading, outside shades etc.

The meeting was attended by Rajesh Bhushan Secretary, Health, Sudhansh Pant, OSD, Health Ministry, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Service, S Gopalakrishnan, Special Secretary, Health Ministry Dr M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, Dr Atul Goel, DGHS Dr N K Arora, Head of Covid Task Force, Dr M Mahapatra, DGM, IMD and other senior officials.