Mandaviya deploys expert team for UP, Bihar amid heatwave crisis

The team comprises representatives from the health ministry, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Mandaviya convened a high-level meeting to evaluate the nation’s current heat wave conditions, additionally tasking the ICMR with research efforts aimed at reducing the heat wave’s impact on public health.

Doctors have noted a more than 20% surge in cases related to gastrointestinal disorders and respiratory illnesses as the unusually high temperatures in June continue. They suggest summer-related health issues have arrived prematurely this year.

In April, a political event in Maharashtra resulted in 11 deaths from heat stroke. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has, since 1 March, registered over 9,000 suspected heat-related incidents as part of its Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).

During the meeting, Mandaviya emphasised the need for education and training for medical staff and grassroots workers, who are crucial in the early detection and management of heat-related illnesses.

The IMD warned of persistent heat wave conditions across several regions, including Bihar, Jharkhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Interior Odisha, East Madhya Pradesh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, for the coming days.

According to Dr Gaurav Jain, senior consultant internal medicine at Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, heat-related cases have significantly increased in recent days. “We are currently experiencing a 20% rise in patients exhibiting symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke,” said Jain.

Under the Centre’s National Action Plan, states are directed to actively monitor heat stroke cases and deaths, while prioritising the elderly, infants, children, pregnant women, outdoor workers, and other vulnerable groups.

Updated: 20 Jun 2023, 05:09 PM IST