Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday announced that a team of five members, including senior officials from the Health Ministry, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), will be dispatched to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, states severely impacted by heatwave conditions, according to reports.
Mandaviya made the announcement as he chaired a high-level meeting to assess the readiness of public health measures in addressing the prevailing heatwave conditions across the country.
“Arrangements will be made at every level for the protection of common life. We want to ensure no one dies of a heat stroke,” he was quoted as saying by NDTV.
A virtual meeting will be organised with the health ministers of the states experiencing soaring temperatures, he said.
Additionally, he stated that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been instructed to propose measures on how to minimise the effects of heatwave on health, with specific short, medium and long-term action plans.
The meeting was attended by Niti Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul, Indian Council of Medical Research, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar and other officials.
The meeting comes in the wake of recent reports of heatstroke-related deaths from various regions of the country, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha.
Heatwave-related Illnesses
The health minister highlighted that the government has taken timely measures ahead of the summer season to address heatwave-related illnesses.
In March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review preparedness ahead of the summer season. Meanwhile, the health ministry issued a heatwave advisory in February, advising the states 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 the states.
Union Minister Mandaviya was also briefed on the status of the heatwave situation in different states, as well as the readiness of central agencies in terms of essential supplies and hospital infrastructure to deliver timely and efficient healthcare services.
It was also noted that daily monitoring of heat-related illnesses, as part of the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH), has been implemented in all states and districts through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). Furthermore, all healthcare facilities have been instructed to participate by using the P-form level login.
What is India’s National Action Plan on Heat-related Illnesses?
In July 2021, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) unveiled the National Action Plan on Heat-Related Illnesses. The comprehensive plan highlights the standard operating procedures (SOP) for monitoring heatstroke cases and fatalities, as well as establishing a preparedness strategy prior to and during the summer season.
The plan also places special emphasis on addressing Heat-Related Illnesses (HRI) among vulnerable sections, including the elderly, infants and children, pregnant women, outdoor and manual workers.
As part of this action plan, states are recommended to enhance the resilience of healthcare facilities to extreme heat by ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply, installing solar panels and implementing measures to reduce indoor heat through strategies such as cool or green roofs, window shading and exterior shades.
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